Darke Shadows
by Miss Odale Overstrand
Summary: It's been a years since something really strange thing hapend, but Odale feels that someting strange thing is happening. OBS continuing story of Twist of Fate and Magykal Fate.
1. Cha 1: The Poisonous Spider

**(A/N this is the begining off 'The Odale Version' off Flyte.)**

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Chapter 1: The Poisonous Spider

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Odale Overstrand, Extra Ordinary apprentice went into the Librarey. Even though it was Septimus turn to clean the Librarey, Odale loved the feeling of being close books. The first thing she did was to go to her favourite shelf; '**Hidden **Arts'. Already her frist day in the Wizard Tower (when she was DomDaniel's apprentice) she had founded that shelf, and she had always like it. Odale smiled, she was sure that Marcia weren't so happy over the thought that she read about **darke **things, but Marcia couldn't stop Odale from reading it. Septimus were already in the Librarey. "Hi, Sep!" Odale said. "Hi, Oda... Ouch!" Septimus exclaimed. "Septimus?" Odale rushed to Septimus. "What hapend?" she asked. "I got bitten by one of the spiders." Septimus answerd. Odale frowned. "Can you please give me the spider?" Odale said and Septimus gave her the big, hairy spider. She muttered something that Septimus couldn't hear (but he knew that it was something that Marcia wouldn't like her to do) and the spider dissapeard in black flames. "And can I see your hand?" she continude to Septimus. "But..." Septimus complained, but Odale had already grabbed his arm in a unpleasant grip. She bit her lip, a sign that she was concentrated or nerveous. "Sit down!" she commanded him, "I'm going to fetch Marcia." she said and headed to Marcia's study.

After just a few seconds she came back with Marcia. Septimus's left thumb was double as big a usual and it sent up painful jolts to his heart. Marcia frowned. "Odale, can you please fetch some **spider-venom**?" Marcia said. Odale nodded and flew out off the room. "Is it a bit from a spider?" Marcia asked Septimus. Septimus just grimaced with pain again. Once again Odale apeard in the room. She held a small bottle with darke green content in one hand and in the other hand she held a thin pipette. Very carefully (cause she didn't want to het any off the venom in her mouth) she gave the bottle and the pipette to Marcia. Septimus held his hands away from Marcia. "But that's venom!" Septimus protested. Odale went beside Septimus. "Septimus, sometime's you got to fight like with like, you know, venom with venom. It's easy, don't you trust me?" she said. Septimus sighed, he didn't trust anyone as he trusted Odale or Marcia, and at last he letted Marcia fix with the bite. He felt the pain and the dizzyness faded away and smiled, Odale was always right. The mentioned girl smiled back at him. "That wasen't so hard, was it?" Odale asked in a vacant tune, "And about that, I founded this yesterday." she continude and gave him a **charm**-looking thing. "Thanks." Septimus said and looked at the little old choclate-looking cube. "It's a choclate **charm**, founded it when I cleaned the Librarey yesterday. I wanted to give you it, but I haden't any time." Odale explained and smirked. Septimus read at the choclate piece.

_Take me, shake me, and I will make thee; Quetzalcoatl's Tchocolate._

"I don't wants to interupt, but you got to get outside. It's lovely weather." Marcia said and pushed them outside the Librarey. Odale opend her mouth to protest, but closed it again when she realized that she had to do one thing. "See you, Sep!" she said and dissapeard. Septimus tried to stop her, but the girl was already gone. He sighed, it felt like Odale begun to slip away from him. "You forgot the spiders!" Marcia shouted from the Librarey.


	2. Cha 2: Battle At The Wizard Way

Chapter 2: Battle At The Wizard Way

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She knew that he didn't want her close when he was with Jenna, she just knew it. Odale sighed and headed out off the Wizard Tower, she was going to visit some firends. Marcia would freak out if she knew, but Odale just didn't care. It was surely lovely weather, but being outside wasen't in Odale's thoughts off a nice day.

Anna walked slowly along the Wizard Way. Even though she was free from being frightend off DomDaniel and his apprentices, she was sad. She had her daughter Julie and her lovely husband Charlie. Sometimes it stung in her when she saw Julie, the little girl were so alike Emily. Oh, little Julie... Anna froze. That girl who was related to Marcia Overstrand walked there. Emily's murder... Anna couldn't stop herself, the anger and hate which had grown in her in soon four years came up. She flew out of the crowd. Anna had inherited her mother's **magykal **skills and she knew how to duel.

Odale ducked instincively when a cask flew against her. She turned around and saw woman in the early twenties. The woman had blonde hair which barely reached her shoulders, and she had a very upset look. Odale recognized her, but from where... No idéa. "You killed them!" the woman yelled. Odale frowned, the woman was so familiar. "Who are you?" Odale asked. "You don't know? Oh, sorry, I forgot that I'm not worth to remember!" the woman answerd in a taunting tune. Odale bared her teeths. "Tell me who you are, or are you scared for a eleven-years old girl?" she said in the same taunting tune as the woman. "Let me say one thing; Watkins." the woman hissed. "They're dead, don't you know?" Odale replied. "Not all, I'm still here." the woman said. "Don't be silly, _I _killed them. I'm not proud over it, but I did it." Odale answerd. The woman glared at Odale and snorted. "I don't cares if you regrets or not, you still killed them!" something wild and evil took shape in the womans eyes, and she sent away a shower of pointy things. Easily Odale wiped them away. "Appereantly you don't knows what I can do." she just said and smirked. Around the two person it had grown a crowd, but both off them ignored it. "Oh, I knows, but you don't knows what _I _can do." the woman answerd and the two persons started to go arund in a circle.

Anna stared at the girl and felt disgust. Her attiutude were lotsy and awful, just as DomDaniel's. Even though she didn't really knew how DomDaniel's attitude was, but she guessed. "Do you think that I'm like _DomDaniel?_" the girl exclaimed, appereantly she had read Anna's thoughts. "Yes you are!" Anna said and laughed. The girl bared her teeth again and a spear-looking thing flew against Anna. Anna stopped to laugh and parried the attack. "Odale!" someone shouted, and for a moment the girl was distraught. Anna smiled. _"So easy!" _she thought and sent away another cask against the girl.


	3. Cha 3: Anna Gets Exiled

**(A/N Another silly chapter...)**

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Chapter 3: Anna Gets **Exiled**

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Septimus rushed to Odale. "Odale..? Are you alright?" he asked. "Septimus, I got hitted by a... a cask, how do you think that I feels?" Odale snapped. "How cute, aren't they!" the woman said in a taunting tune. "Let Odale go, it's not her fault!" Septimus said. "Septimus, it isn't your buisniss! And well, it _is _sort of my fault." Odale answerd. "Listen to your dear girlfriend, boy, and you won't get hurted." the woman hissed. "I'm not his girlfriend!" Odale snapped and jumped up, even though her chest hurted. "Fetch someone, Sep." she whispered in Septimus's ear and returned to her fight. Septimus had only one person on his mind; Marcia. Marcia could say anyone to do anything, and the person, if the person cared for hers or his life, did as Marcia said.

After five minutes he had reached the apartment. "Marcia!" he gasped and stumbled into her study. "Septimus, haven't you and Odale a day off?" Marcia said while she looked at a few papers. "It's Odale..." he begun, but Marcia cut him off. "Has Odale problems _again?_" she asked and frowned. "Yes... yes, the Wizard Way. Woman... sais that she has murdered, they're fighting." Septimus tried to explain. "Fighting?" Marcia said. "At the Wizard Way. Please come _now_!" Septimus replied. "And everyone just _watches?_ I has no idéa off what's the matter with people in these days, you just don't _watches _a girl being attacked by a woman, you just don't." Marcia muttered to herself while she followed Septimus.

When they arrived to the Wizard Way it was totally chaos. Everywhere there laid broken things that the two duelling had used, and a big crowd looked assigned at the duel. "Move, let me get through!" Marcia repeated over and over, and the crowd moved out of the way for Marcia. Odale had just sent away a **thunder stun** against the woman, but the woman ducked. "Can't you hit me? Or are you _afraid _to hit me?" the woman mocked and sent away a shockating powerfull **thunder flash**, which had hitted Odale if Marcia haden't parried it. "You can't just attack a eleven-year old!" she said. "Oh, why don't talk about _your _niece about attacking five-yeard olds!" the woman howled. "Do you make it better if you attacks a eleven-year old?" Marcia snapped. "No, but I makes it better if I kills the murder." the woman answerd shortly. "You're just insane!" Marcia said and protected Odale from another stone which came flying against her. "Move out of my way!" the woman shouted and added a invective which maded the crowd gasp, no one called Marcia Overstrand such a thing. "Thats it. I gives you five minutes to get out off my sight, or it will happend worse things than get **exiled**." Marcia hissed. The woman opend her mouth to say somethin, but realized that she only had five minutes to run away. She did one last angry cry and dissapeard. Marcia turned to Odale. "Are you alright?" she asked. "Yes, thank you. And see you later!" Odale coiled out and also she dissapeard in the crowd.

Odale smiled, now she at least had something to talk about with Linda, who she had known since she was... She thought for a while. Was she maybe six? Odale rememberd the day exactley, but she didn't remeber how old she was then. It had been summer, but it rained a lot. DomDaniel had sent her out to do top-secret stuff in the Port and she had stumbled over Linda. Linda had tried to kidnap her, but already then Odale knew very much **magykal **stuff. And too much **darke **stuff for a six or seven-years old, even too much for a normal person. Odale shuddered, she had too stop reading so much. However, Odale had defeated Linda, and they had soon became sort off friends. She laughed when she thought about what Marcia would say if she founded out what kind off persons her niece was around with.


	4. Cha 4: The Port Witch Coven

Chapter 4: The Port Witch Coven

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Odale knocked impatiently at the door to the Port Witch Coven. Normally, no one would dare to do it, but well... Odale wasn't normal. At last a younger witch called Dorinda opend the door. "Laurine!" she exclaimed and dragged Odale inside. "We've heard that you are the Extra Ordinary Wizard's apprentice, but that isn't true, is it?" Dorinda asked curiously. "Well, they don't calls me Laurine anymore, I'm Odale Overstrand now." Odale begun and told Dorinda the whole story (or most off it). Dorinda frowned. "But he... and they... and... Oh, however, you _has _to meet the others, it was _really _long ago since we saw you!" she said and once again she dragged Odale with her. This time she dragged her into what the witches called their kitchen. If you infact could _see _the room you maybe should call it a kitchen too, but the room was covered in dirt, old dishes and books. Lots off old dishes and it smelled terrable, but Odale was used to bad smells. "Look what the cat came with!" Dorinda said. A woman looked up, and a grinn spread out over her face. "Isn't it our extra ordinary firend!" Linda exclaimed. Odale smiled to her. "I thought you'd be a more Wendrom Witch- person now when your... I didn't mean that, sorry!" Linda said. "Why should I be a more Wendrom Witch- person?" Odale asked and frowned. "Nothing, just forgot, I'm so sorry." Linda answerd, "And by the way, you got to meet the others." she continude. Odale nodded.

When Septimus finally had dragged himself out off the chaos, he went to the Palace. "Marcia let you go early today." Jenna Heap said. She was dressed in a red summer tunic, and around her waist there was a golden belt. Jenna smiled at him. "Hi Jen." Septimus said, "I got bitten today.". "Wow, Sep, the most intressting news in the whole Castle!" Jenna answerd and laughed. "It was really scary, my thumb was twice as big as now." Septimus waved with his left hand, where the spider had bitten him. "I don't sees anything, anyways." Jenna said. "That's just because Marcia held some poison on it." Septimus answerd nonchalant. "_Poison?_" Jenna exclaimed. "Yeah, but that's just a thing we wizards do." Septimus said, as if he hadn't reacted the same way as Jenna earlier that morning. "Okay- you _wizards _" Jenna said teasingly, "You're all crazy. And about crazy, is Odale alright?". Septimus sighed. "She's mot crazy, Jen, but she has been acting strange for a while. I think that she's nerveous for something, but I don't know what." Septimus answerd. Jenna frowned. "Mysterious." Jenna just said. Septimus shook off all thoughts about what Odale could be nerveous for, and followed Jenna. "Marcia at least gave me a whole day off." he told her. "A _whole _day?" Jenna asked. "Yep, until midnight, so I can followe you home and visit mum." Septimus answerd. "And be with me! You have to be with me too, because tommorrow I will go to aunt Zelda and the Dragon Boat, if you has forgotten that." Jenna folded in. "How should I forget that? Marcia always reminds me off how 'important' it is. And I was just goin to forget it, here I got a gift to you." Septimus said and handed Jenna the choclate**charm**. "So nice, Sep. Eh... what is it?" Jenna answerd. "It's a **taste charm**, it turns whatever you wants to choclate, I thought it could be usefull with aunt Zelda's food." Septimus said. "Perfect, I can turn all the stews with cabbage and eel to choclate! Thank you Sep!" Jenna smiled to him. "Don't thank me, thank Odale, she gave me the **charm**." Septimus said and shrugged. "We can alway say hello to her, it was long ago I meet her." Jenna asked. "I don't know Jen, last time I saw her she was fighting with a woman at the Wizard Way, but Marcia stopped the fight. I has no idéa of where she can be now." Septimus answerd. Jenna shrugged. "We can always find her." she said, "But maybe you should say hello to mum first, she is always complaining over that she never sees you.". Septimus grimaced. He had no idéa about that mothers could be so annyoing sometimes.


	5. Cha 5: Kidnapped

**(A/N R&R)**

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Chapter 5: Kidnapped

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Odale couldn't hide a smile, a typical lunch for the Port Witch Coven. It smelled terrable, but she knew better than complain. But it wasn't so bad if you didn't try to taste it, or if it didn't crawl away from you. The lunch consisted (as usual) off all sorts off bugs and insects, and some pickings from yesterday. Odale swallowed her last lizard tail (at least she _hoped _that it was a lizard tail) and rose up. "It has been funny to see you, but I got to go before Marcia gets worried." she said and the witches nodded. "May the goddess walk with you." Linda answerd and Odale leaved the room. Odale closed her eyes and hoped that Marcia _wouldn't _walk outside the door in just that moment. "**Open**." Odale said and the door opend itself. She shrugged, at least no one she knew passed by. Sometimes the Port felt like where she belonged, narrow alley ways, mysterious persons in every corner, well, people like her. Or people which was like her _before _she became Marcia's apprentice. Odale brushed off one bug that had climbed up at her shoulder, and muttered something about; "They should learn to _kill _the bugs before they sereves them." and begun to walk home to the Wizard Tower.

"Come now, Sep, so we can search for mother." Jenna said, and they went to the bridge to the Palace's door. Jenna stopped and waited for Septimus, who was a bit slower then her. The ancient (a very, very old ghost) who guarded the door to the Palace smiled against them. "Goodmorning, princess." the ghost's thin, but yet friendly voice said, "And goodmorning apprentice. Is you done with the Transubsstantiate Triple yet?" the ghost wondered. "Nextuntil." Septimus answerd with a smile. "Godric, do you know where mother is?" Jenna asked. "Yes, I do. Madam Sarah told me that she should go to the kailyard and pick some herbs. I told her that she should let the kitchenmaid do it, but she insisted. Lovely woman, your mother." the ghost said. "Thank you Godric." Jenna said, "We goes to her- what _is _it, Sep?" Septimus had grabbed her arm and dragged her into the shadows. Septimus pointed at a cloud off dust that came closer the gate. "A **darke **horse, a **darke **rider."Godric muttered. "What are you doing Sep, it's just the horse we saw before, and I want's to see who the rider is." Jenna protested. The one who rode the horse rode very rough. His horse didn't stop when they passed the gate, and just passed **through **the ghost who guarded the gate. Jenna and Septimus waited for the horse and the rider to turn to the stables at the other side off the Palace, but the horse and the rider didn't turn around. Instead they just rode into the Palace, straight **through **Godric, who collapsed at a chair beside him. The rider was lucky that Odale wasn't close, she should probably **transfixed **the horse and force the rider to say 'sorry' to Godric. "Are you alright, Godric?" Septimus asked. "I-I'm alright, thank you apprentice." Godric answerd feeble. "Come Sep, so we can se what's going on." Jenna said and they went through the door to the Palace.

The walk to the Wizard Tower had went very quick, only half an hour. Odale scratched her hair, where would she go now? Marcia maybe would freak out if she returned early, she had been acting strange for a while. Odale blamed it at the **shadow **that was following Marcia. And she didn't think that Marcia would approve that she showed up with insects within her teeth. Maybe she could ask Jenna if she could use one off the mirrors at the Palace so she could... pick out the insects from her teeth. And maybe the lizard skin from her teeths too (at least she _hoped _that it was lizard skin). But at the way to the Palace Septimus came rushing to her. "Odale! Odale, I'm so glad that you're here, it's Jenna! Jenna is kidnapped by Simon and... is that reptile skin that is beneath your teeth?" Septimus stared at Odale. "Oh, sorry, I... I... Jenna has been kidnapped you said? That's not good, didn't you try to stop Simon?" Odale blushed, how did he notice that? "I **transfixed **his horse but..." Septimus begun. "You **transfixed **a _horse? _Wow! If you can **transfix **a horse, you can **transfix **anything! We got to tell Marcia, she will be so proud!" Odale smiled, "But did he **overcame **you?" she frowned. "No... or yes, yes, but that's not the point. Jenna is kidnapped." Septimus answerd. "Is Jenna kidnapped? Why didn't you say anything? Come here, we got to do something!" Odale said. "I was just going to tell you, but you didn't listen!" Septimus replied. "Sorry Sep, I'm just a bit tired." Odale explained. "Why do you have skin beneath your teeth, Odale?" Septimus asked. "Jenna is _kidnapped_, we don't has any time for why I got lizard skin beneath my teeth, Septimus." Odale answerd and picked out the skin from her teeth. "What do you think that we shall do, then?" Septimus said. Odale smirked. "I know exactley where we should go." she told him.


	6. Cha 6: Una and van Klampff

**(A/N another chapter, hope thee will like it. Plz, R&R)**

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Chapter 6: Una and Van Klampff

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Marcia wasn't in the Wizard Tower, but Septimus remembered that Marcia had told him that she would go and fetch a part to the **shadow safe**. Odale muttered something about 'I could do it better' and they went to the Snake Slipway, where the one who maded the **shadow safe **lived. While they waited a few ex-young armé boys teased Septimus. "Ey, 412, has you got an girlfriend now?" and "I've heard that she's DomDaniel's ex-apprentice, is she taking your fights?". Suddenly (when one of the boys had said something very offending about Odale's hair) Odale turned around. She grabbed around the boy's neck and hissed. "You've heard that I'm DomDaniel's ex-apprentice, maybe then you knows what I can do to you?" Odale said and smirked. The boy swallowed and nodded. "Good. Go and return to your worthless little life, but _if _I hears you teas me or any off my friends again I will make sure that the last thing you'll ever do is beg on your knees for your life." Odale continude and the boy blinked horrified. "Great." she just answerd and letted him go. With her head held tall and proudly she returned to Septimus. "Odale, you just maked it seven times worse!" Septimus sighed. "Stop whining Sep. You don't thinks that my hair looks oily, do you?" Odale answerd and draw a hand through her hair. There wasn't any time for Septimus to answer, because Weasal VanKlampff's houskeeper Una Brakket opend the door. "And what do you want?" she asked with her (in Odale's opinion) annoying voice. "We wants to meet Marcia Overstrand." Odale answerd coldly. "You can't. She's busy, you'll have to wait." Una said. "Nonsense, it's a matter of the Castle's safety." Odale glared at Una, ever since they first meet they had been enemies. "Okay then!" Una hissed and letted the two children inside. "Follow me." she said (Odale already knew the way, because as DomDaniel's apprentice she had memeorized a several maps over the Castle). Of course Septimus's dragon ring begun to shine. "I don't let's kids with candles pass. Usual I don't lets any kids in at all, but_ absolutley __not _kids with candles." Una said. "But..." Septimus protested. "No, blow out that candle." Una answerd. Odale snorted. "It's a **magykal **ring, you stupid bag off nuts! He _can't _blow it out, even if he wanted to." Odale snapped. "But...Okay then." Una said unwillingly. Odale dragged Septimus with her to the Labratorium.

Weasal VonKlampff's Labaratorium was one of the most weirdest things Septimus ever had seen. It was filled with bottles, weird tools, and lots of stuff that either Marcia, Odale or Septimus knew what it was. "Marcia! Jenna is kidnapped!" was the first thing Septimus said when he entered. "What?" Marcia turned around and by mistake she dropped the bottle she held. The valueable content floated down on her shoes. Una and VanKlampff gasped horrified, the formula was a very, _very_ complicated thing to do. "Is Jenna kidnapped?" Marcia couldn't believe it, "Who kidnapped her?" she asked. VanKlampff begun to scrape off the formula from Marcia's shoes and Una did the same. "Stop that, you're destroying my shoes! " Marcia hissed and nextuntil (if it was with purpose or not was hard to tell) hitted Una with her pointy shoe. "Simon." Septimus said, "He took her away at her horse. We have to get after her, send out some scouts and..." Marcia cut him off. "Which Simon?" she asked. "My brother, Simon. Please, Marcia, we got to go _now!_" Septimus answerd. "Simon _Heap?_" Marcia blinked shocked. "Yes! I tried to stop him and **transfixed **his horse, but..." Septimus begun. "You **transfixed **a _horse? _That's amazing! If you can **transfix **anything. But he **overcame **you?" Marcia asked. "No. Or yes, but that's not the point." Septimus said, "Oh, we _have _to do something! Jenna is kidnapped, and we does _nothing!_" he cried out. Marcia laid her arm around his shoulders. "There's no danger, Septimus. Simon is Jenna's brother, he won't hurt her. You can't worry this much. I'm afraid that the spider-bite had maded you a bit nerveous, don't you think so, Odale?" Marcia looked at Odale. For a moment Odale didn't what to think. Marcia sounded so calm and sure of her thing, but Odale couldn't trust Simon. He had really _meant it _when he tortured her last year. Odale sighed. "I'm sure you're sight." she muttered. "See?" Marcia said to Septimus, "Scurry away, now." she shuffed them friendly away. "I'm going now, Weasal. And I expects the component tonight. Farewell." Marcia continude turned to van Klampff. "Tonight?" the professor gasped, "But Marcia, I thought that you understood how complicated this is. How hard it is to construct the matrix and...". "You've already done the matrix Weasal, you just have to do some more of that-" Marcia gesticualted at the formula that was all over her shoes "-and put it in the matrix. I don't understand's what all this yap is about." Marcia roled her eyes (in a very Odale-like way). Van Klampff looked worried. "But Una is away tonight. Country-dance." he said. "Nice for her, then. Just stop your whining and begun to work instead." Marcia hissed. Van Klampff looked worried at Una, who had a very dissatisfied expression. "B-but... If we... I meant, eh... does the alloy to quick there's a risk that a **shadow appears **here. In the Labratory." van Klampff suttered. "I am sure that Una can get rid of that." Odale folded in. "Odale!" Marcia said, not too reproachfully, "I'm going to fetch the new piece tonight." Marcia said. "When? Approximately." Una asked frosty. "_Approximately _when I got time." Marcia answerd in a so coldish tune that most people would freak out. Unfortunatley Una wasn't one of the ones who freaked out. "And now, mrs Brakket, would you like to follow my apprentice's outside?" Marcia continude. "We don't needs that, thank you." Odale said, grabbed Septimus's arm, and before Una could do anything they had dissapeard trough the door.

"What are we going to do now?" Septimus asked Odale. Odale smirked. "Marcia wouldn't like it, but we got no choice. I'm going to introduce you for some of my... ah, friends." she sighed. Septimus frowned, he didn't like the spark Odale had in her eyes.


	7. Cha 7: Introductions

**(A/N Hmm, wonders what Marcia will think about Odale's re-founded pet... Please Revieew what you thinks!)**

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Chapter 7: Introductions

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"But this is the _Port Witch Coven_, Odale!" Septimus said, "They are dangerous.". Odale laughed. "They wouldn't dare to bend a straw of your hair as long as I'm here." she replied with a smirk. "What do you-" Septimus begun, but then someone opend the door. "Lau... I meant Odale! Are you here again? And who's your friend?" Linda looked from Septimus to Odale. "It's a long story. This is Septimus Heap, the _real _one." Odale answerd. "Aha... Come inside then." Linda said and shoved them inside. "Guess who is here again!" Linda shouted. "Is it our _ExtraOrdinary _friend?" someone shouted from inside. "Yes, and she got a friend with her too!" Linda answerd. "A friend? How intressting..." an other voice said. "Shut up, Dorinda." a very old voice hissed, "Let them come inside.". Septimus gave Odale a look that clearly said 'why are you doing this to me?'. Odale roled her eyes. "Come now, Sep." she dragged him into the room where the voices come from. "Isn't it Odale Overstrand?" the Port Witch Coven mother said. "Goodevening, Mother." (Odale called her mother because everyone else did) Odale replied with a smile. "And who is this young... boy?" the old witch mother asked. "Septimus Heap." Septimus answerd. "Settle down, by all means." the witch mother said. "We would love too, mother, but we aren't here because of a courtesy visit, mother. We needs your help." Odale replied. "What would that be, young wizard?" the old witch asked. "Septimus's adoptive sister, princess Jenna, is kidnapped." Odale said. The witches gasped. "By who?" Dorinda asked. "Simon Heap." Odale answerd. Dorinda widend her eyes. "A _Heap?_" she exclaimed. "Yes. But he is DomDaniel's new apprentice now." Odale said. "We would love to help you, but maybe it would be better if you asked the Wendrom Witches instead." the Port Witch Coven's mother answerd. Odale frowned. "But why? I don't knows any Wendrom Witches." Odale said. The witch mother smirked. "It will show up in time. And besides that, your friend's brother's I've heard got a... realtion with some of the younger Wendrom Witches, am I right, Heap?" she replied. "I'm sorry, but I don't knows what my brothers are doing in the Forest." Septimus answerd. "Don't you? Well, well. And by the way Odale, I think someone, or something if you'd prefer to say that, are waiting for you in our hall." the witch mother said. " What for a 'thing'?" Odale asked. "You will see, you will see... Go now." the witch mother replied. Unwillingly Odale went to the hall and Septimus followed her. Odale looked around. She thought that it was one off the Port Witches sick jokes. _"Ss!" _something hissed at her. Odale turned around. "Indigo!" she exclaimed and lifted up a black snake with a pale grey, nextuntil white chest. Septimus stared into the snake called Indigo's indigo blue eyes. "Oh, I thought you were gone!" Odale said while the snake coiled up at her shoulders. "Marcia won't let that one _close _to the Wizard Tower, Odale." Septimus told her while he kept an eye at the snake. "She don't have too." Odale said, "Look here. Indigo, **elbisivni**!" Odale hissed the last words and the snake turned invisble. "Wow!" Septimus gasped. Odale smiled. "Indigo, **show yourself**!" she said and the snake showed up again. "How did you do that?" Septimus asked. Odale shook her head. "I won't tell you yet. Maybe another time." Odale replied, "Blessed be, mother!" she shouted to the room where the witches were. "Good luck, young wizards!" the Port Witch Coven's mother shouted back, and Septimus and Odale leaved.

While Septimus and Odale discussed if they should go to the Wendrom Witches or not (Septimus wanted to go to the Wendrom Witches and Odale didn't) Alther tried to convince Marcia that Simon had kidnapped Jenna. "Alther, I have no intentio of going outside the Castle while Jenna is gone. You knows what happend last time both Jenna and I was gone- DomDaniel just stepped on. Who sais that DomDaniel is gone for good?" Marcia easily irritated told Alther, "But we don't has to go for Jenna. She is just at ride with her brother..." she continude but Alther cute her of. "Adoptive-brother." Alther corrected. "However, if it shall be so correct then, _adoptive _brother, but Jenna is as much Heap as anyone of the boys. She sees them as her brothers and they sees her as their sister." Marcia replied. "Not Simon." Alther told her. "You don't know that." Marcia said. "Yes, I do." Alther answerd. "Don't be so bothersome, Alther. How could you know that? However, Jenna is just at a ride with her _adoptive _brother and the only thing we knows is that Jenna just didn't want to dismount from the saddle when Septimus told her too. And I belives that Simon just don't wants to do as his younger brother tells him too, and thats not strange. My brothers never did as I told them either, but that was different. And Simon is jealous that Septimus is my apprentice." Marcia replied. "Marcia, Septimus belives that Simon kidnapped Jenna." Alther said seriousley. "Listen to me, Alther. Septimus isn't himself today. He got bitten by on of the **darke **spiders in the Librarey this morning, and you knows how paranoid one can be after that. I remeber when you got bitten by one- you thought that I was going to push you down from the Librarey! You locked yourself inside your study and **blocked **the windows and the door, even the front door so I couldn't go home." Marcia told him. "Did I?" Alther looked shocked. "Yes you did, but you went normal again towards the evening and I am sure of that Septimus also will feel better later." Marcia answerd. "But Odale also believes that Simon kidnapped Jenna." Alther said. Marcia pursed her lip. "Odale is still upset because she got fooled by Flarthy and Pullman, it's just the Cashmére-proudness, she hated to be wrong." Marcia replied. "You can't trust Simon, Marcia." Alther continude. "You sais so, Alther, but you don't has any eviedence for that, do you? He is a Heap after all. I know that they are a strange huddle and some of them are real weirdos, but they are honest people. And they are an old wizard-family." Marcia said. "All wizards aren't nice, Marcia, and you knows than by your own experiences." Alther sighed, "I would like to know what Simon has been doing the past year and why he shows up _now_, just a few days before midsommer. And I still believes that it was Simon that betrayed your position at Zelda's." Alther said. "Rubbish! It wasn't Simon and it wasn't Odale either, it was that annoying message-rat. You shall never trust a rat, especially not a rat that loves it's own voice. And about annoying things, I don't gives too much for your recomendations, Alther. Weasal Van Klampff is a bucket of yelps and complainings and his housekeeper is a _nightmare _to be close. Maybe I should let Odale try that **shadow-remover **anyways." Marcia replied. "No! Absolutley not, a **shadow safe **is the only thing that truly ensures that the **shadow **dissapears for good." Alther said firmly. Alther knew that he couldn't convince Marcia, he knew how stubborn she could be once she had deceided herself for a thing. In the past when they had clashes and he had been the Extra Ordinary wizard and she his apprentice Alther hadn't always won. And now when _Marcia _was the ExtraOrdinary wizard and Alther was just a ghost he couldn't stand a chance. "Goodbye, Marcia. See you another time." Alther muttered and dissapeard into the air. "Goodbye Alther." Marcia said and went back to the Wizard Tower with the **shadow **sneaking behind her.


	8. Cha 8: Beetle

**(A/N A very short chapter, but well, my chapters uses to be short.)**

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Chapter 8: Beetle

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Septimus and Odale was inside the Manuscriptorium. They were in the small, darke front office that most costumers came to with labile **charms**, left old **charms **and bought new ones. That day the office was empty to their big shock, but they just shrugged and went through the door to the inward of the Manuscriptorium. The scribes looked up from their work and stared at Odale, it was well known that she had murdered their last chief Waldo Watkins. Odale sighed irritated. "Beetle, are you here?" she asked. "He's out there, a **labile **just arrived." one of the scribes said and pointed at a door. Outside chaos welcome them with open arms. "Catch it!" Beetle shouted, "It escapes!". Betle was a boy with untameable, black hair and he was about two years older than Septimus and Odale. His eyes were hazelbrown. Reflexivley Odale threw a **lasso-spell **at the little creature that ran around. "Do you got somethin to put it in, Beetle?" she gasped, the little thing was very strong. "Yes, we got this barrel." Beetle said and showed her a barrel. "Exellent." Odale answerd shortly and threw the little creature into the barrel and **locked **it. "Thank you, miss Overstrand." Beetle said. "Just call me Odale, please. Miss Overstrand awakens bad memories." Odale smiled to him and Beetle blushed, she scared him _ a lot. _"What about some Fizz Froot?" Beetle asked. "Sure!" Septimus answerd directly, but Odale looked hesitant, as whenever someone asked her that. She _loved_ Fizz Froot as much as the boys, but Marcia disapproved carbonated drinks, especially those maded with **magyk**. "Okay." she sighed. They went to the kitchen, where Beetle always had a pot with water at the stove. A Fizz Froot is a practically simple thin to do, all you need is a **FizzBom charm**, boiling water (the drink is cold, but you'd need boiling water to **activate **the **FizzBom charm**) and maybe a **taste charm**. "Here you go." Beetle said and handed Odale and Septimus a cup each. "Thank you Beetle." Odale said and sipped at her Fizz Froot. "Do you got a problem, Sep?" Beetle asked and looked at Septimus, who looked very concerned. "Septimus's brother, Simon, has kidnapped Jenna." Odale answerd and suddnly something diffrent lit up in he eyes. Like if she saw something that no one else could se (which she probably did, too). "I can't believe it! Has _your _brother kidnapped the princess?" Beetle exclaimed. "Well, yes. And we do wonder if he has been here." Odale continude, staring at a point very far away. "But no one has been here today, exept the traveller. But the traveller can't be a Heap, he is too... I don't know, **darke**. And too hideous." Beetle said. "Do the traveller got hair like mine and green eyes? Did he had a black cloak? And had he a big, grey-black horse?" Septimus asked. "It's I can't belive that it is your brother, Sep, the Heaps are crazy, but not hideous." Beetle answerd. "But Simon can be hideous. _Really _hideous." Septimus said, "But the problem is that no one belives us. Not even Marcia.".


	9. Cha 9: What Is A Flange?

**(A/N Hi and thanks because you're reading the 9th chapter! Some of you wonders how Odale and Septimus came back from the Port so quick, and that's because Odale has spent alot of time with going from the Port and to the Wizard Way, so she knows the quickes ways. And the quickest ruotes takes about 15-20 minutes to go.)**

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Chapter 9: What Is A Flange

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Odale had settled down at the carpet in Septimus's room and in her lap she had indigo, who she stroke carefully over the head (she had succéd with smuggle her into the Wizard Tower, and even into Marcia's apartment). She (didn't) help Septimus too pack his backpack, which she thought was totally unusable. "But Septimus, **magyk **is enough!" she had told him, but he hadn't listend to her. "Septimus, I'm just going to my room to pick out some usable **charms**." Odale said. Septimus nodded and Odale letted Indigo slip up at her shoulders, and then the snake turned invisible. Odale's room, unlike Septimus's, was a little messy. Not too dangerous, and Odale was happy with it. Sure, she missed the magogs **(A/N Yuck!)**, but that didn't bother her too much. She opend up a cabinet in a corner of the room and picked out a box that was marked; '**Defence-and-Offence-spells'**. She held out the content at her bed and looked at the **charms**. Some of them was really dangerous. A smirk played at her lips, se had just founded her favourite, but Odale pulled it away. She wouldn't kill Simon. Not yet. Instead she picked out a **PersonSafetyShield **and a **boomerang-charm**. Indigo hissed in her ear and Odale turned around. _"Oh, please, don say that it's Marcia!" _she thought, nerveousley stroking her pets head. But it wasn't Marcia, it was Septimus. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Yep." Odale answerd, letted Indigo turn invisible, and they went to the livingroom. Marcia sat infront of the **shadowsafe **and looked at a very complicated room. "Odale? Septimus, are you there?" she asked and looked up from the drawing. "Yes, Marcia." Odale said, and Septimus and she went into the room. "Do anyone of you know what a flange is?" Marcia looked from Septimus to Odale. "Yes, it's te edge of a pipe **(A/N or a tube, or what you so want to call it.)**." Odale answerd directly. "Why can't it just stand that?" Marica muttered to herself. Odale looked doubtful at the pile of parts that was the **shadowsafe**. "Are you sure that I shouldn't just use a simple **spell **instead, Marcia? I don't really likes the feeling around the **shadowsafe**, and not around that Brakket-woman either." Odale said. "I almost belives that_ you _got bitten by that spider, Odale. Of course there's nothing wrong with the **shadowsafe**, it looks fine. Just some more parts and then"- Marcia turned around in an attempt to see the **shadow**- "you'll be gone, you phatetical little creature!" the last words she hissed to the **shadow**. Odale shivered, she could clearly see and **feel **the **shadow**, and she didn't like the derisive grin in it's face. "Wait a moment." Marcia said, and rembered what she had said that morning, "_Why _aren't you with your mother, Septimus? And Odale, you should be outside! You'll be sick if you stays inside all the time.". "We're going to find Jenna, because no one else does." Septimus told her. Marcia sighed. "Listen now. Both of you." Marcia said patiently, "Jenna _will _ come back, Septimus, you're just a little bit nerveous after that bite. And Odale, Simon isn't _bad_, you just got tricke by Pullman and Flarthy.". "I didn't got tricked! He is DomDaniels new apprentice, I _knows _it!" Odale exclaimed. "I know that you thinks that I don't belives you, but..." Marcia begun. "Which you don't does." Odale folded in. "...But just to calm you two down I has looked through the Sheeplands, and there's one horse two riders riding too the North Gate, it muste be Simon and Jenna coming back from their ride. So I has sent out Boris..." Marcia continude but once again she got interrupted. "Boris?" Septimus asked. "Boris Catchpole, an new sub-wizard. A little bit too old to begin with **magyk**, but he's really intressted." Marcia answerd. "_Old _Catchpole?" Septimus and Odale said with one mouth. "Yes, do you know him?" Marcia asked. "He was one of the helpers in the hunting-team that was sent to track you and Jenna down." Odale answerd shortly. "Strange, I can't remember him." Marcia said. "No, he was too long, so I fired him." Odale scratched her hair. "_You _fired him?" Septimus looked confused. "In the capacity of DomDaniel's apprentice." Odale said. Marcia pursed her lips. She didn't like to be reminde of that Odale once had been DomDaniels apprentice. Odale got an idéa. "You're right Marcia, we just goes to the Palace. See you soon!" she said and grabbed Septimus's arm. "Well, see you soon then." Marcia answerd, shocked over how easily Odale had given up. Marcia heard her front door close with a thud, and she did something she never had done before. She went upstairs and uninvited into Odale's room. By mistake she stepped on something that looked like skin and it was blocked. Marcia frowned. "I has to talk with Odale about to clean her room." she muttered and walked to the window, and waited for her two apprentices to come outside the Tower. Then she followed them with her eyes while they walked across the Wizard Tower's yard. They were easy to spot, even from the 21th floor. Odale's waist-long, darke brown hair and Septimus's they dissapeard under the shadows from the Great Arch. She smiled, and quietly she leaved the room without leaving any clues that she had been there.

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**(A/N That was the chapter, and hope you enjoyed it! Please, revieew.)**


	10. Cha 10: Nicko

Chapter 10: Nicko

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An half hour later they reached Jannit Maartens boatyard **(A/N is it called that?)**."Sep, Odale! Hello! What are you doing here?" a voice that Septimus recognized very well shouted. _"Fun, another person that won't believe us."_ Odale thought bitterly. "Nicko-you're home!" Septimus said happily and jumped over some plank and a few old buckets to come to his brother. Nicko was a bit taller than Septimus and just as long as Odale, and Nicko was stronger built. And unlike his brother Nicko's skin was very tan- a result of all his weeks at the sea. His hair was sticky by saltwater and between the locks of straw-blonde Heap-hair there was a few braids in different colours. The braids was the newest craze in the Port, and Nicko had with delight added both the braids and matching wristlets. Beside Nicko there stood a young man with red hair and a butter expression in his face- Rupert Gringe, Lucy Gringes older brother. Unlike Odale, Septimus infact thought that Nicko would believe them. "Nicko, we have to talk with ou about something." Odale said. Nicko frowned. "About what?" he asked, he wasn't so fond of Odale. In his opinion there was something... strange with that girl. "Jenna is kidnapped by Simon!" Septimus answerd. "_What did you say__?_" Nicko exclaimed. "Simon has kidnapped Jenna..." Septimus repeated. "Okay, I heard you the first time. Now, tell me what has happend." Nicko said and stepped ashore to Septimus. They settled down at a few boxes and Septimus told Nicko everything (and Odale added a few things too). "But of course you don't believe us _either_." Odale said when Septimus was done. "Of course I belive you!" Nicko answerd. "You _do__?_" Odale and Septimus asked at the same time. "Yes, I do. I knows that there's people that is after Jenna. Today I was going to tell mother- and Marcia- to watch out. But it seems like it's too late." Nicko said. "What people?" Odale had paled. _"Say that it's not Flarthy, say that it's not Flarthy!__" _she thought. "Not just Simon?" Septimus asked. "Maybe they has something to do with Simon, it wouldn't surprise me. While Rupert and I waited for the mast to be repaired we spent some time at one of the pubs in the Port, and then we meet Alice Nettles -Althers old flame- and she told us that a darke stranger had asked for Jenna." Nicko replied. "_Who?_" Odale said. "I don't know, Alice just said that it was a darke stranger." Nicko told her irritated. "That's it. Simon has taken Jenna to the darke stranger." Septimus said dispirited. "I'm sure he paid Simon a high sum." Nicko, who hadn't any high thougts of his brother, said. "And I can guess who the darke stranger is." Odale muttered. "You can?" Septimus and Nicko asked at the same time. "Well, either DomDaniel or Flarthy." Odale replied and stared at the clouds. "But he's dead." Nicko said doubtfully. "He has _dissapeard_." Odale corrected him, "Went under the earths surface, but by my experiences it seems like he _likes _to be under the ground." she continude grimly. "I don't know, Odale." Nicko said, "Not even _Simon _would do something like that.". Odale snorted. "Sometimes it's funny how much we don't know about our family and friends." she answerd with a ironicall smirk. "Nik, we're going now." Septimus said, "Can you tell mum and dad that I'm out to find Jenna.". "And tell Marcia that to!" Odale folded in. "Wait a moment, you two!" Nicko protested, "You can't go alone! And how will you find her?". "We'll find her somehow." Septimus answerd. "Yeah, sometime. Maybe. If you're lucky. But I knows a very good tracker, infact the best tracker I have heard of. We lends a boat by Jannit and fetches him." Nicko answerd. Septimus didn't turn around. "Odale and Septimus, I'm older than you and you does what I sais. Okay?" Nicko said. "Not that much older." Odale muttered, but both she and Septimus listened at him anyways


	11. Cha 11: The Forest

Chapter 11: The Forest

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Nicko, Septimus and Odale dragged up the boat at a stony beach in the corner of the Forest. The little bay was well known by Nicko, because that's were he used to moor his boat when he visited his brothers. They had sailed three to four miles down the river from the Castle. Jannit had insisted that they should take a lugger -a river boat with a cabin, if they should have to sleep at the boat. But Nicko hoped that they would find the boys camp quickly, and before the sun had set. The Forest was dangerous at night, wild wolverines ran around and waited for their next victim. Some trees were carnivorous and turned to deadly traps at night. They arrived at the baylate at the afternoon, and Odale calculated that they had five hours more sunlight. Nicko said that five hours was more than enough to find the boys camp. Septimus hadn't beein in the Forest since his days in the Young Army, and Odale had only been in the Forest once. But she refused to say something about it. Two nights in the Forest would Septimus never forget. One of the nights his best friend boy 409 had saved his life when Septimus was surronded by wolverines, and another night boy 409 had falled overboard. He had never seen him after that. Nicko picked out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Here's the map, Sam drawed it." he said. Odale frowned while she looked at the map, she doubted very much that the map would help them. "It's okay, I'll find the way. Just follow me." Nicko said in a calming tune. In the beginning Odale and Septimus hadn't any problems with following Nicko thorugh the Forest. The trees growed sparsely and glipses of sunshine fell down at them from the canopy. And then they followed a path that meandered like a snake through the Forest. When Odale thought about just how alike the path was a snake meandering through the Forest she stepped at something invisible, and it hissed at her. "Oh Indigo! I'm so, so sorry!" she exclaimed and lifted up the black snake. "It's alright, it's alright..." she whispered in a calming tune and stroked her snakes head. "What is that?" Nicko asked, half terriefied. "It's her snake." Septimus answerd. "And Marcia lets her have that one?" Nicko asked. "Hm, no, not really. Please don't tell her anything about Indigo." Odale said. "Of course not, it's not my businiss." Nicko replied and Odale sighed with relief. They keept on walking, and now the trees begun to be bigger and grow closer eachother. Nobody said something, exept Odale who whispered calming to her snake. Nicko tried to remember the way, and Septimus was thinking a lot. He wondered why they were in the Forest while they should go to the Sheeplands, were Simon and Jenna probably were. "Are you sure they wants to help us?" Septimus asked after a moments silence. "Of course they will! We're brothers, and brothers helps eachother. Exept Simon then." Nicko said. Septimus was nerveous about the meeting with his brothers, he had never met them before. Silas had promised to introduce them to eachother, but it had never happend. Either Marcia was so overwhelmed with work that she couldn't let him go, or etiher Silas forgot it. "How are they?" Septimus asked Nicko. "Sam is a fisher, and can catch whatever he wants. I infact wondered if we would find him here, he likes to fish here. Fred and Erik can't take anything serious and is joking all the time. They're still so alike that I can't see who's who. And Jo-Jo are quiet and efficent. He likes herbs and stuff like that, a bit like mum, I guess." Nicko answerd. "I see." Septimus said and tried to imagine them to himself. It didn't work very well. "But," Nicko said, "as I said before, we're not here for them, we're her for the tracker. The Wolfboy.". "The one that they founded in the Forest?" Septimus asked. Odale couldn't keep up with them. Wolfboy? Founded in the Forest? That didn't sound good in her ears. "Yepp, he live with them now. They believes that he live with the wolverines for a while, but that they threw him out when he didn't smell like an cub when he was younger. He was wild when they founded him. He bit Sam in the leg and he tored Erik really bad. His nails was horrable, yellow and long and curved as claws. But he got tamer under the Big Freeze when Erik and Fred gave him food, and now he ain't so bad. Sure, he smells really bad, but you'll get used to it. And he can take us to Jenna, that's for sure." Nicko said. Odale begun to feel nerveous. Think if... no way. "Does he got fur and fangs?" Septimus asked anxiousley. "Yepp. Very big fangs and shaggy hands." Nicko answerd. "Is it true?" Odale asked hopefully, if he had... He couldn't possibly be what Odale suspected. "You belived me!" Nicko turned around and smirked. Odale sighed, if she was right...

After a while they came to a glade and Nicko suggested that they would take a break there, so he could look at the map. "Do you want a mint caramel?" Septimus asked Nicko and handed Nicko a purple pipe with **mintbombs**. "What happends if you eats them?" Nicko asked sucpiousley. Nicko knew Septimus's and Odale's weird taste of sweets, and had never forgotten the time when Odale gave him a candy-bug that _crawled _down his throat by itself. "Nothing, it's just a mint caramel." Septimus answerd. "Alright, then." Nicko said. "Hold out your hands." Septimus said and held out some of the green balls into Nicko's hand. Nicko leaned his hand back and held the candy into his mouth as if it had been some sort of medecin. "Not..." Septimus warned. "Mm-rrr-aah!". "...All of them at once." he finished, though ti was too late. Odale laughed until she cried. "They really cheer one up, don't they?" Odale said between the giggles. "You're kidding!" Nicko said while he coughed. Nicko looked at Sams map again and looked around. "Can anyone of you see a huge stone here?" he asked Odala and Septimus. "It should be one over there, and it should look like a bird." Nicko continude and pointed at a group of trees. "No." Odale answerd, who now was very doubtfull. "We're lost, Nicko." she told him. "Of course we're not lost!" Nicko said. "Where are we then?" Odale asked. "I don't really know, we continues to I recognizes a place and then we'll find the camp at no time." Nicko replied. Septimus would have laugh if it were another situation, Nicko and Odale acted _exactley _like Silas and Marcia. Odale muttered while they followed Nicko deeper into the Forest. The trees were even more dense and the undergrowth was tangled and thriving. The atmosphere around them changed, the trees acted strange. Some of the trees seemed friendly and some of them... no so friendly. When Odale heard a branch cracked by something very big that departed- or came closer- she squeezed Indigo tighter around her and begun to mumble **safety-spells**. It begun to be twilight, and Odale stopped them. "Nicko, we _are _lost." she said flatly. "What are you talking about, we are right here!" Nicko answerd and pointed at a point at the map. "At the mashed ant, you mean?" Odale snapped. "What mashed ant?" Nicko asked and looked at the map. After a while's staring at the map in the fading light he said; "Ah, _that _mashed ant!". "Odale's right, we was here for about an hour ago. I remembers that tree." Septimus folded in and pointed at a tree surronded with mushrooms. "I don't think ao. We just continues at this path, and then we'll reach the camp." Nicko said. Odale sighed, and once again they started to walk again. After a while Septimus said; "We has been here too, Nik. We're lost.". Nicko leaned against a tree. "You're right. Unfortunately. We're lost." he said.


	12. Cha 12: Forest At Midnight

Chapter 12: Forest At Midnight

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It darkened quick in the Forest. "I'm so, so sorry, Odale and Sep. I... I..." Nicko begun, but Odale cut him of. "It's not your fault, Nicko. It could happend to anybody." she said. "It's Forest-twilight, we better stays quiet. It's not a good idéa to move around when things shifts." Septimus told them and the others nodded.

Marcia looked at the kronometer and sighed irritated. Odale and Septimus was late, and that bothered her. They had never been late, and Marcia hoped that they would keep it like that. But well, they were so young. She shrugged and deceided that she would went to van Klampff to fetch the new part of the **shadowsafe**. If she was lucky he wouldn't complain about how complicated the **shadowsafe **was. And honestly she didn't care. If it was _so _hard, why did he even do it then? Right, because she was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. But couldn't he lie? No, she would figure it out. She _always _figured it out. Marcia straightened her hair and went down to the Hall. She took her time, there was no reason to hurry. Or there was a reason, but Marcia prefered to annoy van Kalmpff. While she wandered at the Wizard Way she noticed that many persons looked down when she looked at them. "Marcia! Hey, wait!" someone shouted and Marcia turned around.

Odale tried not to breath so loudly, but she was so nerveous. She hated the feeling around the Forest, there were lots of creatures she didn't knew how to handle. Now she wished that she was better at **transfixing** living beings, but she weren't. Killing was one thing, but she wasn't in disposition to **secure **a **thunder flash**. So she felt as good as helpless, even though she hated to admit it. Last time she had felt this helpsless she had been turned to a wolf, and the time before... Odale shivered, was when she fetched (or as Marcia said; saved) Marcia from Dungeon Number One. "At the night exercises in the Young Armé, what did they teach you? I mean, what were you forced to do?" Nicko, who seemed to think much alike Odale for the moment, asked Septimus lowly. "Well, hm, once when we practiced 'fight with animals without any weapons' we digged a wolverine-trap and waited the whole night for a wolverine to fell into it. No wolverine fell into ours, but they lost three boys in the trap next to ours. And sometimes we had practising in reading a compass, and the they tied up a boy against a tree, and we had to find him before he got eaten up. It wasn't always we got there in time..." Septimus said. "Ugh. I wouldn't ask you." Nicko replied and shivered, but Odale looked unconcerned. "I thought that you was _learning _something about survival." Nicko continude. "We did." Septimus said, "Stay away from everything that is faster and got more teeth than you. Watch out for the carnivorous trees, because you never knows which they are before it's too late. And the most important...". "What?" Nicko and Odale asked. "Don't go into the Forest at night." Septimus continude. Odale snorted. "Haha, very funny." Nicko muttered. "I think" Septimus whispered, "that we should find a safe place in a tree or something.". "A carnivorous tree, you mean?" Nicko kidded. "Sch!" the others hissed. "Sorry, Sep." Nicko said. "As I said before- we should climb up in a tree. Only our luck determines if it's a carnivorous tree or not." Septimus said. "Maybe we could set up a **barrier**? That would be easier, then we don't needs to risk anything." Odale suggested. "But you're the only one here who can make a **barrier**, Odale, and if you fells asleep it will dissapear." Septimus said. "But I don't has to sleep. I don't think that I can do that either right now." Odale answerd. "I votes for climbing in trees." Nicko said. "Me too. That's two versus one, we win. Sorry, Odie." Septimus hurried to say. Odale pursed her lips, but didn't argue it. Septimus helled on his heavy backpack and they begun to walk, with Septimus first this time. The light from the dragon ring shine clearly and Septimus pulled his hand in his pocket. Light would attract any creature in miles distance. Nicko tried to be so quiet he could, but he was not so flexible as Odale or Septimus, and he often broke branches and leafes rustled when he stepped on them. Septimus knew that soon a creature or **something **would hear them. They had too quickly get up in a tree. Desperatley he searched for a tree with low branches, but he didn't find any. They were in the ancient part of the Forest where all the trees were high and held their branches highly over the ground. Suddely Odale grabbed the boys arms in her special Odale-grip. "Ouch!" the boys exclaimed, but Indigo just hissed at him. "They're around us!" she hissed, and sounded very much alike Indigo. "Who?" Nicko asked, though he know who. Or more exactley; what. "The wolverines!" Odale answerd. "Can you **freeze** them, Odale?" Septimus said. "No! I can't! And don't ask for a **thunder flash** either, because I'm not concentrated enough!" Odale replied, "Can't you **transfix **them?". "How? Ask them to settle down in a nice lead so I can deal with them one by one?" Septimus snapped. "Run!" Odale hissed, "_Now!_". The boys didn't need to hear that twice. Odale shot of through the trees, and Nicko and Septimus wasn't late after. Hot on their heels there came the wolverines. Septimus could hear Odale shriek in pain and saw her collapse with her left foot in a hole. "Keep on running!" she cried, "I can do this!". But Septimus didn't care of what she said. "Get up Odale!" he told her and dragged her up on her feet. "No, Sep. I can distract them, and when I got their full attention I can **materialize **away." she said and moaned in pain when she tried to take a step. "Run! Please, just run. Forget me!" Odale pleaded, and at last Nicko grabbed Septimus's arm and set of again. Then they ran a few yards, but then something grabbed around their waists. Septimus dropped his backpack and it reached the ground with a thud. They could hear Odale's disanced shrieks, but suddenly it dissapeard. Septimus didn't know if it was because of that she had **materialized **away, or if the wolverines had... if the wolverines had... No, he couldn't allow himself to think that. Instead he deceided to care about his own situation, which didn't seem so much brighter.

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**(A/N Did you like it? Did you hate it? Will Odale die? Are you wondering why it's only questions? I don't know.)**


	13. Cha 13: Returning To The Observatorium

**(A/N Hi again! Well, I'm going to go to a camp for nine days, and that means that I can't write in nine days now. However, I've planned to write something about Cashmére and Joseph (Odale's parents) and I'm just wondering about a name to one of Joseph and Marcia's brothers. I've been choosing between 'Alexander' and 'Rodrian'. Maybe you can revieew what you think, or if you got an idéa or something like that?)**

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Chapter 13: Returning To The Observatorium

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Odale waited until she could smell the wolverines breaths, and then she shrieked some, just to distract them anymore. She just didn't think about how it had to feel for Septimus and Nicko when she shrieked, but that wasn't the matter right then. The matter right then was to **materialize** away, and she knew exactley where. Odale closed her eyes and concertrated really hard on where she wanted to **appear**. She **materialized **preciesly in time to save her head and Indigo from getting smacked by one of the wolverines rot-smelling jaws. With a lightly thud she landed at the ground in the Observatorium. "Not my best **materializing**." she muttered and looked around. At least she was at the place she wanted. The place that she remembered most from her past, where she mostly had grown up. She grimaced, it wasn't the best time of her life. She **cleaned **a rock from magog-slime and settled down on it. Lovley, she just had to wait for Simon and Jenna and then... Odale smirked. Finally she had an excuse to get her revange, no one humiliated Odale Overstrand and got away with it.

Nicko and Septimus was lifted up in the air by wiry three branches. The tree moved slowly and restrained, why hurry when you had hunderds of years to live? The wolverines had already gathered around the tree, at first they had lost the for sure tasty little girl, and now they lost these boys _too_. It was just too much. Septimus and Nicko got placed in a fork in the tree and the branches letted go, like if they were planning their next move. "Will it wat us now, Sep?" Nicko whispered. "I don't know." Septimus murmured while he keept his eyes shut. He was (as Odale) afraid of heights. _Deadly _afraid of heights. "But it had letted us go, Sep. Maybe we can try to escape while we got the chance..." Nicko suggested. Septimus shook his head, he could rather had tried to fly to the moon than move an inch. Nicko looked down, and saw the wolverines waiting for them. Had they already finished Odale of and eaten her? Had Odale succed with **materializing **away? Nicko doubted very much that Odale had succed with **materializing **away. To **materialize **was very hard, and needed a lot of concentration and will. The will was no problem, but the concentration was probably very hard with an sprained ancle. He grimaced, _if _they did it to the Castle what would Marcia say about that Odale was dead? She would probably freak out that they hadn't done anything. Nicko grabbed Septimus's arms. "Sep, we got to get away!" he whispered, "It's now or never. If we climbs down quick enough the tree won't catch us.". "But the wolverines will catch us." Septimus replied. "They maybe gives up. "Maybe they gives up. You never know. C'mon now, Sep, isn't this what Odale would've done?" Nicko begun to crawl on to a branch. "Come on, Sep, you're even slower than the tree." Nicko hissed and handed Septimus his hand. Septimus grimaced, but (after some hesitation) also he begun to climb. Septimus swallowed, his palms felt wet and he felt sick. "Don't look down, Sep. Look at me, you're almost here." Nicko said encouraging. He raised his gaze and looked at Nicko. Suddely his thoughts begun to spin around, and his hands slipt of the branch. He fell down. Septimus fell to quick for Nicko to do something. The only thing he heard was bumps from when Septimus hitted branches on the way down, and howls from the wolverines at the ground. The Forest went silent. Nicko couldn't move, he should try to climb down before it was too late. But he was scared of what he possibly would find. Slowly and unwillingly he begun to climb down, but when he climbed through the trees crown **(A/N is it even called that? Just wondering...) **and thin branch lingered around his waist. Nicko fighted and tried to getting away from the branch. "Let go!" he shouted, "I got to get to my brother!". Furiously he teared apart the leafes around and broke as many knots and branches he could reach. "Ouch." a low, indolent voice said, but Nicko didn't hear it. "I hate you heinous tree! You will _not _eat me, and _not _Sep either! Try me." Nicko screamed and begun to kick around as crazy, and shouted out some disgraceful words that he had snatched up from the Port and Rupert Gringe. Infact Nicko got surprised over how much he could, and so did the tree. But the tree didn't care too much about Nicko's gush, and lifted him into an other fork. Again Septimus behind him, embraced in a cocoon of leafes and branches. Nicko got pale, this was what spider did to their prey's. "Sep!" Nicko gasped, "Are you alright?". Septimus didn't answer. He was pale as death and his eyes was closed. A horrable thought passed through Nicko's mind. "Sep, is it already eating on you?" he whispered and tried to get to his brother, but the tree keept him where he was. "Nicko." a low voice said. "Sep?" Nicko asked and wondered why his brother sounded so strange. "Can you please stop fighting Nicko? The wolverines are still waiting for you. Please calm down." the voice told him. Nicko stared at Septimus, how did he do to talk without moving his lips? It was surely a trick that Odale had learnt him, she would think that that would be very funny. Poor Odale... "Sep, can you please stop being silly?" Nicko said. "Nicko, listen to me. It isn't Septimus that's speaking, he has hit his head at one of the branches." the voice answerd. "Odale..?" Nicko whispered. "No, not Odale either." the voice replied. "Who are you then?" Nicko asked. "Don't you know? I though that you came here to visit me. And Odale to visit her mother, it ought to be on time. Cashmére hasn't been talking about anything else since she founded out that the girl were alive. The other witches tries to make her go and visit, but no, Cashmére says that she'll be waiting until the girl comes to her." **(A/N seriousley? Does everyone but Odale know Odale's mother? Hmm...)** the voice answerd. Nicko felt confused. "Odale's mother? Do you know her?" he said. "No, not really. But I've heard a little about her. It's a long story." the voice said. "But you havn't answerd the question, who are _you?_" Nicko asked again, when he remembered that he didn't knew who or what the mystical voice was. "Don't you know? I am your grandpa." the voice answerd, and sounded a bit hurted. "Grandpa _Benji?_" Nicko exclaimed. "Yep. Who did you thought I were?" the voice, who happend to be his granfather said. "A carnivorous tree." Nicko replied. "Really? _Me? _Do I look like a carnivorous tree?" his gradfather seemed offended. "I don't know, I've never seen one." Nicko said. The old tree muttered something. "The wolverines will wait for a while. Do you want me to make a bed too you?" the tree continude. "That would be very nice, grandpa Benji." Nicko replied, who begun to feel very feeble. "See, it's easy." the tree said, when it was done with the bed. Carefully it lifted up Septimus and his cocoon in it, and Nicko climbed there on his own. Nicko begun to unwrap the cocoon, and while he did that a bruise begun to appear on his forehead. Otherwise Septimus seemed to look alright. "Ouch" Septimus mumbled, "Don't do that,Nik.". Nicko was very happy to hear his brothers. "You're okay, Sep. That's nice to know." Nicko said. The bruise at Septimus forhead hurted, but he didn't care; he knew that they were safe. He had heard his grandfather's and Nicko's talking to eachother. Now he was mostly worried for Odale, but he was pretty sure that she was alright. Septimus smiled, at this point Odale surely was in the Wizard Tower and talked to Marcia. Odale's sprained ancle, her probably dirty robes and Odale's tenacity would for sure convince even Marcia to believe that Jenna was kidnapped. "Hrrrmmm..." he mumbled and smiled feeble. "It's grandpa Benji, Sep. We're saved!" Nicko said, "But you needs to sleep now." he continude when he saw how pale his brother was. "Tomorrow you'll feel alright again.". Then Nicko laid beside Septimus and held his arms around Septimus, just to make sure that Septimus wouldn't fall again.

Septimus and Nicko had just fallen asleep when terrable howls reached their ears. "_Arooo!_". The sounds was followed by spittin and hissing. "_Atch atch atch!_". Nicko knew that that was the wolverines. "Wolverines can't climb in trees, can they, Sep?" Nicko asked nerveousley. Septimus shook his head, but then he understood that he shouldn't done that. With some tredipation Septimus looked down from the platform they slept on. It seemed like the whole pack had went crazy. They ran around the tree, yapping and howling while they furiousley clawed themselfs at their noses. "What are they doing?" Nicko muttered. Suddenly Septimus snorted by laughter. "Look" he said, and pointed at the wolverines, "They has eaten my backpack...". "I can't believe that it tasted _so _bad." Nicko said. "... And they founded the **mintbombs**!" Septimus laughed.


	14. Cha 14: Old Enemies

**(A/N Do you think that it's an intressting name of a chapter? I couldn't figure out anything better... However, this is the last chapter I writes until after the camp in Denmark. Maybe the last ever if the magogs catch me... Nah, just a internal-joke with one of my friends.)**

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Chapter 14: Old Enemies

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While Septimus and Nicko was lost in the Forest, Odale was waiting for Simon and Jenna. While she had been waiting she had **healed **her foot, prepared a few **thunder flashes**, and prepared herself for a duel. She hadn't any clue about two persons was watching her. If Odale knew who was watching her she would probably begun to duel with atleast one of them, but she didn't see them. And Indigo didn't either. Suddely a door shut with a _bang_, and Odale knew that soon the duel would begin. She smiled. _"Like in the old days."_ Odale thought, she didn't _miss _the old days, but sometimes she missed to hurt who she wanted witout anyone getting angry at her. Mostly because most persons was scared for her, even though people still was scared of her many begun to see that she had 'switched side'. Now she could hear Simon talking to Jenna, mocking her while they entered the room she were in. Jenna was the first to see her. She widened her eyes. "Odale! How could you!" she screamed. "Take it easy, Queenling. That little brat hasn't joined me. Yet." Simon said. "So you do think that _I _would just drop everything and stick with DomDaniel and his new yaffle to apprentice? Dream on!" Odale snapped. "You hadn't any problems with drop a perfect future and a apprentice-ship to stick with that worthless woman you calls Marica." Simon mocked. Odale growled lowly and sent away a **thunder flash** against Simon. "That's it, Overstrand." Simon hissed to Odale, "Alexander!" he shouted. "Stop making yourself silly, calling at a dead person doesn't help." Odale stared at Simon, but too late she noticed Jenna's fear full eyes that looked at her... No, not Odale. Someone behind her. Quickly Odale turned around, but too late. Someone hitted her too the ground, and tied her hands behind her. The man (Odale was pretty sure that it was a man) dragged her up at her feet again. "Miss Overstrand, I guess you've already met Alexander Pullman." Simon said in a mocking tune. Odale showed her teeth. "Isn't he dead?" she hissed. Simon chuckled. "As gullible as her aunt." he smirked, "And don't try to use **magyk **to tie up the rope, it won't work." he continude. "But I think miss Overstrand already is well-known with ropes like this, she has after all designed them." Pullman said. Now Odale knew that it was Pullman, she just didn't want to believe it. "Shall you turn me to a new animal or something?" Odale snapped. "Hmm... No, not this time. You're too usable as your current form." Simon answerd. "What do you mean with 'usable'?" Odale asked sucpiousley. "You're aunt is the Extra Ordinary wizard, if you has noticed that. Don't you think that she'll come running to save you?" Simon snapped. "Of course not, she's not stupid!" Odale hissed, though she was afraid that Marcia infact would do it. Simon shrugged. "If she really believed me, maybe she would do it anyways." he said, "I was going to show the _princess _the Camera Obscura, but I guess that you wants to see it too? Remember the good old days?" Simon continude. Odale growled lowly again, but she knew that she hadn't any choice. "Perfect." Simon smirked, proud of breaking such an powerfull enemy.

"You're going to like the Camera Obscura. All kids do." Simon said to Jenna. "I'm not a _kid!_" Jenna snapped. "Whatever you are, you'll like it anyways." Simon snapped back. "If I were you- Simon Heap- I would treat the princess with more respect." Odale hissed. "I treats her how I want." Simon said, "However I'm just going to take of the lens cover, and then you'll see it." Simon continude. Jenna and Odale looked down at a disc infront of them, and saw the ravine that Jenna and Simon had travelled thorugh. Odale didn't seem to be so impressed, but Jenna stared entranced at it. "Nice, huh?" Simon wondered complacently, "Much better than that witch-trash that aunt Zelda is fixing with. This, dear visitors, is _reality_.". Odale knew that Simon was talking about when the Heap-family, Marcia and Odale was gathered at the Pond in aunt Zelda's garden, and saw who boy 412's (as you know, Septimus's) family was. And Odale's family too, even if one person wasn't so much. But what did that matter? After all she _belonged _somewhere. Simon focused the Camera Obscura at the Castle. "As you see" he said, "no one can keep anything secret from me. I can see _everything_. I can see your beutiful little Palace, I can see dear old Marcia **(A/N Gross...)**-" Odale tried to take a leap against Simon, but she didn't succé, and Simon just chuckled "- and her apprentices. Yes, even you Odale Overstrand.". Jenna keept on staring at the Castle. It was beutiful, but yet so small. How could he see everything if it was so small? When Odale saw the Wizard Tower a big feeling of regret hitted her. Why hadn't she **materialized **to the Wizard Tower instead to fetch Marcia? With all the evidence she had now, Marcia would _have _to believe her. Odale sighed. Would she ever see the Wizard Tower again? "Do you want to have a closer look? Do Odale want to say a last goodbye?" Simon mocked. Either Odale or Jenna answerd, but anyways Simon took out a magnifier with brass handles. He held it over the white disc and mumbled something that Odale perceived to be a **reversed spell**. Suddely everything at the white disc became much clearer. "As you see, I can see everything. The Hermetic Scribe gave it to me when I requested it, I got him wrapped around my finger." Simon said, smiling with triumph, "Do anyone you know who the Hermetic Scribe thought it was. That's right, the first **darke **wizard of all times.". Odale felt sick, she had a theory that if you just _talked _about **darke **you could invite it. Simon laughed when he saw Odale's expression. "As I see that you seems too know, miss Overstrand, was it Hotep-Ra, the first ExtraOrdinary Wizard. The one who came here with Marcia's highly valuable amulett. Don't look so shocke, you knows that it's true that we- the **darke magyk's **follower- are the real heir to the Castle. And Marcia is absolutley _not _an heir of the Castle, she even isn't from the Castle." Simon said, yet grinning. Odale snorted. "Hotep-Ra wasn't from the Castle either, was DomDaniel too busy with being teared to pieces to tell you that?" Odale snapped. Jenna refused too look into Simons eyes, and instead she looked at the white disc. Simon followed her gaze. "Nice, huh?" he said and waved with the magnifier ver the disc, searching for different scenes to point out for them. "Here we got the Forest... Oh, look, there's a boat at the beach where Sam uses to fish. I misses Sam. However, there's not much to see in the Forest. Too thick. And now up the river to the Castle... Here's old Jannit's boatyard... Where's my little brother Nicko? He and Nicko should be home today. Did you know that, Jenna? No, I don't think so. But I did. And... oh, yes. Here's the Northgate and that idiot Gringe who is arguing with his son. Where's my Lucy? There she is, stting beside the Moat, waiting for me. But she'll have to wait a little bit more. Now to your favourite, miss Overstrand, the Wizard Tower. Look at that window- there we has Marcia in her study. Can you see that she's holding a silver-shrine in her lap. Do you know what it is, Odale? She is often looking at it. Ooh, and there's the **shadow **that keeps her company. Can you see how it follows her every single move? Precisley as a good **shadow** should do-" Odale let out a furious shriek "-. And now to the Palce. Home, sweet home, isn't it Jenna? If I'm not wrong there's my poor mislead parents. Are they watching the sunset, or are they waiting for their son to come home with their little cuckoo?" Simon finished his little speeche with a smirk. "Shut up, Simon! I hate you, I _hate you!_" Jenna shouted and ran. Odale followed Jenna. But quickly Simon jumped infront of Jenna, and tackled down Odale at the same time. Because of that her hands were tied behind her back, Odale couldn't get up, and Simon had an uncomfortable grip around Jenna's waist. But Jenna had seen something that she really wished that she hadn't seen- a white pale skull that grinned against her from the seat on a ornamented throne of a wood that Jenna hadn't any idéa of what it was (if you now wonders, it was oak). Odale also saw it, and gasped horrified. She guessed who it was, and she didn't like that it only was the skull. "I belive that you both have seen him before, especially you, Odale. Or maybe I should say _Laurine?_" Simon said with a smirk, "But let me now present you for mine new masters, and Odale's old masters, DomDaniel's head.".

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**(A/N Hope you enjoyed it!)**


	15. Cha 15: The Escape

**(A/N I survived nine lovley days in Demark, and had fun at the same time! How did I succé? However, as usual; R&R!)**

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Chapter 15: The Escape

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"What do you say about _that_, huh? And unlike his _ex-_apprentice's I does _exactley _what he wants. And he _really _wants to get rid of all the royalities in the Castle, as you Jenna, who's always interfering in things. He sees the Queens power as an affliction for every ExtraOrdinary Wizard. And I agree. So we wants to introduce some _real _**magyk **in the Castle- not just Marcia's little dinky spells- and then _someone _got to get out of our way." Simon said. Odale was a little pale, but she let out a shrill laugh. "Do you think that _you _are a better wizard then _me?_ I don't think so! Tie up these ropes, and we'll see." Odale glared at Simon. "Very brave, but don't you remember the last time?" Simon said, with an glimpse in his eye that Jenna didn't like. "It was two against one, you nut! If it just had been you and me, I would crush you with my own hands!" Odale hissed. Now it was Simon's time to laugh. "You think?" Simon snapped, and sent out a **spell **against Odale. Jenna yelped when she saw Odale fall to the ground with a thud, and Odale didn't seem to want to rose up again. The girl just laid at the floor and didn't move. "What did you do to her?" Jenna exclaimed. Simon smirked. "At least I didn't kill her." he said coldly, "Alexander, move our _guest _to the gaol.". Simon grabbed Jenna's arm. "You can borrow our dear little Odale's room." he told Jenna and dragged Jenna with him.

_"Where am I?" _Odale thought when she woke up, _"Please say that I didn't fell asleep in the Librarey again!"_. Everything about Jenna being kidnapped felt like a bizarre dream. Odale moaned, her head ached. What had happend? Simon had sent out some sort of **spell **against her, but then everything was black. Her hads was still tied behind her, so Odale looked around the tiny space after something to cut up the ropes with. But of course the room was plain. Odale swore, this was going to be hard. Maybe she had a **charm **that she could use as a provisional knife... Somehow Odale succéd with turning around her belt so the front was at her back. Quickly she searched trough her pockets after something sharp... Suddenly Odale heard a hissing sound. "Indigo?" she whispered. The snaked hissed as an answerd. "Indigo, can you please bite these ropes of?" Odale pleaded the snake. She managed herself into a pose so that Indigo could reach her hands and the rope that tied her hands. With one simple bite from the snake the ropes fell apart. "Than you Indigo, I owe's you a fat mice." Odale said lowly and caressed her snakes head. Once again Odale corrected her belt, and then she begun to search through it. At last she felt that her hands gripped around something that could be useful. The other **chocolate charm **she had found a few days earlier. She smirked, not even Simon and Pullman had thought of everything. Odale letted Indigo slip up at her shoulders again, then she pulled the **charm **into her right hand and shook it. When Odale felt that the **charm **begun to be warm she pushed it against the door and mumbled the **spell**. Suddely she could smell chocolate in the air. Odale nextuntil laughed, the door had turned to chocolate! She did a **silent smash **(a **spell **that make whatever you breaks break without cause any sound), and carefully she looked out. Odale could hear two persons snore, and it was probably both men. She begged Indigo to be silent, and walked out of the chamber that they had keept her in. Now it was only one more problem; where did they keep Jenna? After a moments thinking Odale deceided to see if they keept Jenna in Odale's former room. Odale begun to wonder if Jenna was alright, or if she even was alive... At last Odale arrived to the door that would lead her to her old room. She swallowed, how long ago was it since she had been there the last time? "Jenna?" Odale whispered, "Are you there?". "Who is it?" Jenna's voice replied. "It's me, Odale." Odale answerd, "And I'm going to save you. Get away from the door.". Odale picked out the **chocolate charm **again and did the same as before. "Oh, Odale!" Jenna whispered and hugged the very surprised Odale, "I thought they had killed you.". Odale smiled. "So easy they won't get rid of me." Odale told Jenna, "But come now, bfore they notices anything.". Odale dragged Jenna with her at first to the Camera Obscura. "What are we doing here?" Jenna asked, but Odale gave her a sign to be silent. She opend the box where the magnifier that Simon had used to spy on everyone was. "Just so he can't keep on spying on everyone." Odale told the shocked Jenna. Then Odale keept on going to a tunnel, and Jenna hurried to followed her. Shroud Odale opend the door to a further tunnel, and keept it open for Jenna. Odale snapped with her fingers and a ball of light seemed to come out from her hand and showed them the way. She laid an longing gaze at the magog-chamber, but then she focused her eyes at her goal; the stable where Simon keept his horse Thunder (that she had heard Simon talking to Jenna bout when she waited for them). Odale had heard from Septimus a few weeks ago that Jenna at least knew how to ride a horse, and besides Odale hadn't enough **magykal **energy left to **materialize **both Jenna and her back to the Castle.

Thunder stood beside his crib and chewed at hay when Odale and Jenna entered his stable. "Hello, Thunder." Jenna whispered. The horse rose his head and looked at Jenna for a while before he went back to his hay. Jenna knew that it was a good sign that Thunder recognized her. Slowly she walked to the horse and stroked his black mane. It seemed cruel to let him out in the cold night-air again, but Jenna knew that they had no choice. She took of the saddlery from it's hook and pulled it on Thunder. The horse snorted and struggled against her. "Hush, Thunder, there's no danger. Really." Jenna whispered to the horse. Odale pulled out a piece of chocolate and gave it to Thunder. Carefully Thunder munched up the little piece of chocolate. He looked at Odale with slightly shocked eyes. Jenna was sure that Simon never gave his horse chocolate, which was totally right. She never did that either, but sometimes you got to use bribery. Now Thunder letted Jenna saddle him without any struggels. "Thank you." Jenna mouthed to Odale. "No problems." Odale whispered and handed Jenna some pieces of chocolate, "Just get the horse moving." she continude. "Okay." Jenna said, "Come now, Thunder-boy, come here and you'll get chocolate." she whisperd gently to the horse.


	16. Cha 16: Stanley The Rat

**(A/N this is mostly a short chapter, too bad, but please R&R!)**

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Chapter 16: Stanley The Rat

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Odale had managed to open the big entrace to the Observtoium, and hoped thatshe never would need it again. "Come here Thunder, good boy." Jenna said to the horse and Thunder followed her, in hope to get some more chocolate. Jenna helped Odale up in the saddle, and then she got up by herself. Odale felt very umcomfortable at the big horse, she wasn't such a horse-girl. But at least Jenna knew how to do, and Jenna's comfidence helped Odale a little. But just a little. "Are you sure you know how to get this creature moving?" Odale asked Jenna. "Yes, it's easy. I can teach someday, if you'd like." Jenna replied. "No, thank you. I preferes my own feet." Odale said. Jenna shrugged. "Sure." she said, and maked Thunder begn to trot down the rocky hill. Odale swallowed, she really prefered feet or even better; **materializing**. The nightwas rainy and cold, and both Jenna and Odale would prefer to be sleeping right then. But yet they keept on moving, away from the Obseravtorium. The path was narrow and sloped down to the ravine and a river. Odale, who was afraid of hights had her eyes closed. But she opend her eyes when Jenna yelled; "Thunder, _run__!_". "What is happening?" Odale asked. "It's a wurm!" Jenna answerd in a panicking tune. "_What?_" Odale exclaimed, she had heard horrable stories about people getting eaten by those horrable creature's. But Odale didn't need to be too worried, because now Thunder galloped for his life. Odale didn't really understood what was happening, and honestly she didn't care. As long as he, and especially Jenna was alive everything was okay. Odale wasn't fond of Jenna, but she knew that Jenna was the heiress of the Castled and needed to be keept _safe_. "That was... too close. I think... I nextuntil got a... heart attack. Really." a thin voice gasped. "Who are you?" Odale and Jenna said with one mouth. "Don't you remember me?" the voice asked with an offended tune, "It's me- _Stanley_.". Odale growled and grabbd around the fat, brown rats neck. "Give me one reason to not feed you to Indigo, you little traitor?" she hissed. The rat swallowed, and probably he tried to say something, but because that Odale had the grip that she had he couldn't. "Odale, put the poor thing down!" Jenna said. Odale muttered something, but she did as Jenna said. "Thank you, your majesty." the rat said and sighed with relief. "No problems." Jenna said, "You're the message rat that we saved from that crazy guy Jack, isn't you?". Odale hadn't any idéa of who 'the crazy guy Jack' was. "That's right." the rat said with a smirk, "But I'm not a message rat anymore, I'm a spyrat.". Odale snorted. "A what?" Jenna asked. Stanley looked very secretive. "Very hush-hush- if you do understand what I mean? Less talk and more action, and so on." he said. "Oh." Jenna said, even though either she or Odale understood what the rat was talking about. "The best thing I've ever done." the rat said proudly, "I got done with my studies last week. And lo and behold; my first mission is under the ExtraOrdinary Wizard herself. Very impressing.". "Marcia?" Odale gasped. "Yes. A found and fetch home. First priority." Stanley answerd. "And what shall you found and fetch home?" Jenna asked. "You." Stanley answerd with a smile.


	17. Cha 17: The Sheeplands

**(A/N Yesterday I founded out a very intresstin thing about Odale! Yay! Her middlename is 'Erianna' because that's the name of Cashmére's mother. Plz, R&R!)**

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Chapter 17:

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It was already going from night to day when they could see the Sheeplands. "We did it!" Odale exclaimed happily, "We did it Jenna!". Jenna lauged at Odale's delight. Jenna leaded Thunder down on a wide, grassy path beside a clear spring. The girls jumped of the horse and letted Thunder eat of the lush grass. Somehow Odale noticed that Jenna was hungry. "Are you hungry?" she asked Jenna, even though she knew the answer. "A little." Jenna answerd. "Watch this." Odale said with a smile and picked up a pebble that was as big as her attached hand. Odale mumbled something, and slowly it turned to an sandwhich. "Wow, how did you do?" Jenna stared at the sandwhich. Odale smirked. "Skills." she just said and handed Jenna the sandwhich, "It's cheese and ham.". "My favourite!" Jenna laughed. "I know." Odale said. Jenna frowned, but took the sandwhich without any complaining. When she was done with eating the sandwhich she felt that her eyelids begun to feel heavy, and againt her will she fell asleep. Odale letted her sleep, after all Jenna needed it. But Odale sat and guarded her while she mumbled a few spells to herself.

At the same moment as Jenna fell asleep Simon awoke. He sat up in his bed; his body ached and he felt annoyed. But then he rememberd Odale and Jenna. He had kidnapped Jenna and captured Odale **(A/N wow, Simon, you kidnapped two eleven-year olds! You must feel _so _proud! Sorry, just had too say that...)**. His master would be pleased. Now he had too do the second part of his mission; lead Jenna down to the magog-chamber. And then get rid of Odale, or maybe wait with that and let his master do it instead. He would like to kill that little traitor. He went out of his bedroom and noticed that sleuth wasn't there to guard his bedroom. "Sleuth!" he shouted angrily. Nothing happend. "_Sleuth!_". Still nothing happend. Even more annoyed he went to fetch a glass of **ekawa **to calm down his nerves. Carefully he held up the brown, mud-looking content into a high glass and drank it. It tasted awful, but it awoke him. Sleepy he looked around and noticed that Odale's door was... gone? No, it wasn't gone. It had turned to chocolate, and someone had **smashed **it. What the... _Alexander!_" Simon howled. At once Pullman showed up by his side. "What is it?" he asked sleepy. "Are you totally _blind?_ She has escaped!" Simon shouted. "Aha." Pullman answerd, still sleepy. "What do you mean with 'aha'? This is really bad!" Simon was furious. "But if the Queenling is still here-." Pullman begun, but Simon cut him of. "Of course he's not here! Do you think that Overstrand just went away _without _her?" he hissed. "Maybe, I mean in my eyes she seems kind of egoistic..." Pullman tried. Simon sighed irritated. "Maybe. If we're lucky." he said. He hurried to Odale's former room, where he keept Jenna. When he saw the **smashed **door he swore, he didn't need to look into the room to know that Jenna was gone. First Simon called Odale something very impolite, that if Odale would've heard it she would rip his tounge out. However, he begun to think a little big logical. Odale _couldn't have_ enough with **magykal **energy left to **materialize **away both herself and Jenna, so they couldn't be far away. He could send sleuth after them with a **mark**. "Sleuth!" he shouted furiousley and so high he could, "Sleuth, come here _now!_ Otherwise it will be bad for you! _Very _bad!". Still no answer. Simon stod and smiled for himself; the stupid kids had surely thought that it was just a lamp of some sort and taken it with them. But that was f course not what had happend to Simon's sleuth; before she had went away Odale had **hidden **the sleuth so that Simon couldn't find them. Suddely Simon heard a weird sound from... He couldn't localise really where. For some reason (he had no idéa why) he looked up at the lamp that was hanging over him. Simon gasped, the whole lampet trembled as if it was an earthquake. But it was only the lamp that shook. For a moment Simon just stared at the lamp, but then it begun to look like it would fall down and Simon jumped away in the precise second from being smashed by the huge lamp. And out from the crashed lamp there came a little green ball jumping out. "That's enough!" Simon yelled, "She's gonna get it! Sleuth, **mark **Jenna.". Simon held the sleuth in his arms, opend the door that Odale had opend a few hours earlier and threw the sleuth down the staircase. Simon ran down the staircase, and stumbled at both magog and wurm-slime when he reached the bottom. "They're down here, Sleuth." Simon gasped, "I simply knows it.". Simon was just going into Thunder's stable when he collided with something grey and slimy. Shocked he shranked back. What had happend? How had the wurm broken inside the Observatorium? Suddely a horrable thought begun to grow in Simon. "My horse!" he cried, "The wurm has eaten my horse!".

Jenna awoke from an horrable dream, she was wet and felt cold. "Sleept well?" Odale asked Jenna, when she noticed that Jenna had awakend. "Not really." Jenna mumbled sleepy. "We got to keep on moving. If Simon and Pullman already hasn't noticed that we're gone, they'll do that very soon." Odale said, "And we got to get you to Zelda, it's midsummer tomorrow.". "Maybe Stanley can help us..?" Jenna replied. "Nope, Stanley's dead." Odale answerd. "_What?_" Jenna gasped. "Just kidding, I think he's sleeping in one of the saddle-bags." Odale said. Jenna laughed. "That wasn't nice." she said. Once again she helped Odale up in the saddle, and got up by herself. "Stanley." Jenna said and shook life in the rat. "What?" the rat mumbled as sleepy as Jenna had did before. "Stanley, I want you to send a message to aunt Zelda. You knows where she is and-" Jenna begun, but Stanley raised his paw to protest. "No. I won't. I'm not a message-rat anymore. I will not, absolutley _not _do a message-rat's job. My license was also reduced after that unpleasant history about the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, and I do not got any wishes about do an message-rat's job. Never ever, my sir. I meant lady." Stanley said. "So that's a other way to say no?" Odale folded in. "Yes. Or no. I meant, _yes _it is another way to say _no_." Stanley answerd. "Okay." Jenna sighed, "But Stanley, do you know how to get to the Port?". "Of course I do! I used to be here with my mother when I was a little rat." Stanley said. "We just wants to know where the Port is, not your biography." Odale snapped. "Odale." Jenn said in a warning tune. Odale muttered something, but didn't pick up a fight. It was a beutiful summer-morning. All they could see was the Sheeplands, and in the horisont a small, white line that was the sea. Jenna letted Thunder walk slowly, and while they walked she letted him eat the juicy grass. Jenna begun to think about Simon. What did he do now? Had he already discovered their escape? Odale was also thinking. She wondered if Septimnus and Nicko were alive. And if they were alive, did they think that she was dead? And suddely a feeling reached her. She knew that Simon had discovered their escape. She leaned forwards to Jenna. "Can you make this thing go faster, Jenna?" Odale asked. Jenna just nodded, and urged on the horse.


	18. Cha 18: Camp Heap

**(A/N Now I'm going to answer a few questions, that either someone asked, or maybe something that you havn't thougt about;**

**1: Marcia got three brother's (in this FanFiction); Maximilian (called Max), Rodrian (called Roddy) and Joseph (called Jose).**

**2: I didn't name Rodrian to Alexander, because there's already two Alexander's (Alexander Pullman and Alexander Flarthy). For some reason I confused their names, and now both are called Alexander.**

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Chapter 18: Camp Heap

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When it was day again, Septimus and Nicko stood next to grandpa Benji's feet. Or more like foor, but however. "All my equipment- gone." Septimus complained. "See it from the bright side; we didn't end up as Odale." Nicko said, with a yet mournful voice. He felt like it was his fault that Odale was dead (both Nicko and Septimus believed that Odale was dead). Septimus didn't listen, he searched for a special thing. "I wouldn't have my hands there if I were you, Sep." Nicko said. "Why not? I'm looking for a special thing." Septimus replied. "Use your head, Sep. A lot of wolverines. Waiting for dinner. Getting upset. Eating **mintbombs**. What are they doing after that?" Nicko said. "Yuck!" Septimus exclaimed and jumped up. "Exactley." Nicko smirked, and Septimus stumbled back. "I founded it!" Septimus exclaimed and picked up the little green pebble. "What?" Nicko said and looked at the pebble. "Here it is... Oh no! Look, they've bitten at it, and now it has cracked! I hate wolverines." Septimus showed Nicko the pebble. It had a deep crack in the middle of it, where the wolverine had bitten. Jenna had given the pebble to Septimus when it came up that Odale (or Laurine, as she was called then) was DomDaniel's apprentice. Septimus remembered that very well, it was the seconds gift he ever received from someone (the first gift, was a you surely remembers, the Dragon-ring that Odale had given to him). He pulled the pebble into one of the pockets in his apprentice-belt. It took a while for the boys to say goodbye to their grandpa, but at last they promised to take their family with them next time they visited. And now they begun to walk deeper into the Forest again to search for the Heap-boys camp. A few minutes later, when Septimus wondered if they had get lost _again _Nicko said; "I know where we are!". "Sure?" Septimus doubted that. "Absolutley sure." Nicko answerd with a smile. "Where have I heard that one before?" Septimus muttered. "Don't be rude now. Look- down there- can you see the camp?" Nicko said and pointed at a spot in a glade. All Septimus could see was a few piles of leafes that seemed to be placed around a small fyre-place. But suddely a lanky figure, one of Septimus's brother's, stepped out of one of the piles. "Eric! Hello, Eric!" Nicko shouted. The figure looked up. "Come Sep." Nicko said, "It's time to meet the others.".

Ten minutes later Septimus was alone beside the fyre-place. Almost immediatley when Nicko had introudced Septimus to their brothers, they had dissapeard and taken Nicko with them. They had told Septimus that they should expect the net's that Sam had laid out into the river. And Septimus could aswell do something useful by staying and consort the fyre. Septimus stared into the flames and wondered if it always was like this when family meet. Even though he had been very nerveous to meet his brothers he had thought that they atleast would be happy to see him. But the boys had just stared at him, as if he was some sort of animal in a zoo. And then he had realized that they didn't look at him, but his apprentice cloak, his tunic and his silver-belt that he wore because he was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's apprentice. The belt had sparkled as if he tried to brag. Then he had wrapped his cloak around him to hide it, but that Septimus thought surely maked him to look dumb. As if he cared about his appearance, or as if he was scared. Now Septimus really wished that Odale was there, she always knew what to do. _"At least," _Septimus thought bitterly, _"Odale's wish came true; she was far away, so she couldn't hurt anyone around."_. Septimus burried his head in his hands. What an idiot his brother's had to think that he was. And what would Marcia say when he told her about Odale? While Septimus stared into the fyre and wondered why Nicko had taken him into the Forest when he needed to search for Jenna, he noticed that a figure settled down beside him. He turned around, and expected to see one of his brothers, but which of them? Septimus had been to nerveous to think about which of them it could be. "Hi." the boy said, while he stared into the fyre. "Hi." Septimus replied, and wished that he was somewhere else. "So you were the one that was dead?" his brother asked. "What?" Septimus wasn't sure if he had understood. "Yes, dead. I remembers that mum and dad used to talk about you when they thought that we didn't hear it. You were dead. But now you're not. Strange." the brother picked up a stick and poked in the fyre. "Strange." Septimus agreed. He looked at the boy. It wasn't Sam, that was for sure. Sam had deep voice, and wasn't much younger than Simon. And Septimus had seen Eric and Fred, they were identical. So this had to be Jo-Jo. "And your friend is the lost daughter, isn't she? Opal, or something?" Jo-Jo continude. "Do you mean Odale?" Septimus answerd. "That's the name. Do you know her?" Jo-Jo said. "Yes, I do." Septimus sighed. "My name is Jo-Jo, by the way." his brother said, without any connection to their previous conversation. Jo-Jo rose up. "I got to go and eviscerate the fish. Sam got a nice catch. And Marissa stopped by with some bread this morning." he continude. "Marissa?" Septimus wondered. "She's one of the witches. The Wendrom Witches, you know. Just as your friends mother. Cashmére is always asking me and the others if we knows anything about her daughter. Then we tells her that she can visit her daughter, but Cashmére refuses. She sais that her daughter has to come to her, Cashmére's a little bit weird. And she got a strange dialect too. Is Odale strange?" Jo-Jo said. "No, she isn't so strange. If you knows her, she's pretty nice too. But she got her idéas." Septimus replied.

A few moments later Septimus still was beside the fyre, but now he held a fish at a stick over the flames. Every done fish did Sam tear into six pieces and was placed at another piece of Marissa's bread. They ate under a friendly silence, and finally Septimus begun to relax a little. Infact, if he wasn't so worried for Jenna and sorry that Odale had died, he would feel perfectly well. It was first when they had eaten all the fish when Nicko told Sam, Eric, Fred and Jo-Jo about that Simon had kidnapped. "Si... has kidnapped Jenna?" Sam said, "I can't believe it. I mean, just because he and dad begun to fight because he couldn't become the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's apprentice doesn't mean that he'll turn out to be bad, right?". "No..." Eric and Fred agreed. "But he really wanted to become her apprentice, didn't he?" Fred replied after a while's thinking. "Yeah, he always talked about it. It got tedious after a while.". "Once he said that the reason that Marcia Overstrand hadn't an apprentice was because she waited for him." Jo-Jo said, "But I told him that he was crazy, and then he kicked me.". "But he helped Jenna with her homeworks and everything. He was much nicer against her than he ever were against us. So why would he suddenly kidnap her? No, it doesn't seem to fit in." Sam said. A sullen silence raised over the camp. Nicko was as upset as Septimus that their brother's hadn't believed them. At last Septimus couldn't stand the silence. "Where's the Wolf Boy?" he asked. "He's sleeping, and doesn't awake before it's night. As the wolverines." Jo-Jo answerd. "But I got to talk to him." Septimus persisted. Jo-Jo snorted. "He won't talk you, anyways. He never talks. What do you want him?" he said. "We needs help." Nicko answerd, "As I said to Sep, that the Wolf Boy could help us to Jenna.". "That, over there, is his hut." Jo-Jo pointed at one of the 'leaf-piles', as Septimus called them. "Come Sep, we goes and awakens him." Nicko said and rose up from his place by the fyre. "Infact," Nicko said with low voice to Septimus when they were out of earshot from their brothers, "is that Sam and the boys has begun to be slow after they've settled down here. They don't sais much, because you don't does that in the Forest, and they never hurries. They don't really cares about something outside the Forest either; they has nextuntil became Forest-creatures themself's. SO if you wants to do someting- as fetch the Wolf Boy, for an example- you got to do it on your own.".

The Wolf Boy's hut really did look as an pile of leafes. Sure, the other's hut's did also look like pile's of leafes, but at least their's (if you looked closley) were well-planned construckts. It was in the edge of the camp, with the front against the Forest. Septimus and Nicko had to go around it two times when Septimus suddely noticed two pairs of shining, brown eyes in the leafes. "Oh!" he gasped and a chill ran through him. "Hello, Sep. You looks like you've just seen a ghost." Nicko laughed, "It's just the Wolf Boy, he's always doing that. He never let's anyone spot him first, probably he has looked at us since we came here.". Septimus had gotten pale, and his heart thumped. The Wolf Boy's eyes stared at him, and they scared him almost as much as the wolverine's the previous night. "Sure." Septimus mumbled shortly. Suddenly the leaf-pile heeled, and the Wolf Boy stepped out. Vagilant he looked around, and instictively Septimus and Nicko backed away from him. "Don't look straight at him. Not in the begining, otherwise he'll be scared." Nickos told him. Septimus couldn't stop himself from giving the Wolf Boy a short gaze. The Wolf Boy was much (fortunatley) much more boy than wolf, and he smelled more wet soil than animal. He was clothed in a short tunic in a colour that was long gone, and around his waist there was a leather-belt. His hair was long, light-brown and tangled the Forest way. When the Wolf Boy was done with inspecting the surronding area, he turned his gaze to Nicko and Septimus. Especially Septimus. Once again Septimus felt embarrassed about his apprentice-uniform, and -not for the first time- he wished that he had roled around in dirt before he came into the camp. "Hi." Nicko said after a while, "I everything aliright?". The Wolf Boy nodded, but kept on staring at Septimus. "We came her to ask you for help." Nicko said calmly and slowly. Finally the Wolf Boy moved his gaze from Septimus, and stared at Nicko. "We needs your help to find someone. Someone that is kidnapped." Nicko continude. The Wolf Boy didn't react. "Do you understand us?" Nicko asked, "It's important, it's about our sister. She is kidnapped.". The Wolf Boy's eyes widened in shock. Now it was Nicko's and Septimus's turn to stare while they waited for their answer. And their answer came. Very, very slowly the Wolf Boy nodded.


	19. Cha 19: The Wolf Boy

**(A/N not much to say this time, but please R&R!**

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Chapter 19: The Wolf Boy

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"You should talk to Morwenna before you goes." Jo-Jo said to Nicko and Septimus when they had returned to the camp-fyre to say goodbye. The Wolf Boy stood behind them and stared at Septimus, who nerveousley dragged his feet across the ground; Septimus knew when someone watched him. Odale had taught him that. There was many things that Odale had taught him, or tried too. Odale had been as an mini-teacher, and taught him things that could be used to make life a little bit easier. Marcia hadn't liked it at all, but Marcia also knew that she couldn't stop young wizards to learn things. They would find out a way to learn the things she didn't want them to learn anyways. "Morwenna is ruffled." Nicko said, "Why should we talk to her anyways?". Jo-Jo rose up and stared at the little piece of sky that was visible. "She's the witch-mother. She knows everything, and I bet that she knows where Jenna is." Jo-Jo replied. "Maybe we should meet her, Nicko." Septimus said to Nicko, "After all Odale's mother was a Wendrom Witch...". "But Morwenna is _still _ruffled, and she gives one hugs so you thinks you'll die." Nicko answerd. "Come." Jo-Jo said, "I will follow you.". A chorus of voices rose from the boys that had settled down around the fyre; "He's going to Mar-iii-ssa! He's going to Mar-iii-ssa! He's going to...". "Oh, shut up!" Jo-Jo cut them of, and rushed into the Forest. "Goodbye, then." Nicko said´, and got answerd with a lots of; "Mmm.", "See you." and "Goodbye.". "Mm, goodbye." Septimus said.

After about an hour, Jo-Jo had helped them to the Wendrom Witches Summer-circle. The Summer-circle was a few tents placed in a circle at a hill. It was a small hill (and one of the very few hills), but it was light and airy, and the witches could see everything around them. While the four boys (Septimus, Nicko, Jo-Jo and the Wolf Boy) came closer the heard voices. Suddenly a voice shouted: "_Joby-Jo!_ Hi there!". "Marissa!" Jo-Jo shouted back. "Joby-Jo- does she call you that?" Nicko snorted. "Yes, so what?" Jo-Jo answerd. "_Nothing_. I just asked." Nicko smirked ironically. The girl called Marissa, who had light-brown hair, rushed down to meet them. "Marissa, these are my brothers- Nicko and Septimus." Jo-Jo said. "What- _more _brother's, Joby-Jo? How many of them do you need?" Marissa laughed. "I don't needs any more of them, that's for sure. I brought them to meet Morwenna. And maybe Cashmére." Jo-Jo said. "Good. Morwenna is awaiting them, and Cashmére begun to be _worse _than annoying." Marissa answerd.

Morwenna Mould, witch-mother over the Wendrom Witches, sat at a carpet outside the entrance to the most beutiful tent in the circle. She was an tall woman dressed in a summer-tunic, and a white belt around her waist. Her grizzled hair was brushed back, and was held in place by a green fillet. Beside her sat a woman, who wasn't as tall as Morwenna. The woman had big, vagilant eyes. Her darke-blonde hair was surprisingly neat, and hanged down to her shoulders. Unlike the other Wendrom-Witches who often were ligt summer-tunics, the woman wore a blue-grey robe with odd symbols on it. The womans skin was very tan, even more than the other Wendrom-Witches. Around her left wrist there was there was an golden bracelet with an big, blood-red stone on that was so tight around her wrist, that Septimus wondered if it had been forged around her wrist. Septimus knew that it was something familiar with her, but he didn't knew what. "You are Septimus Heap, aren't you?" Cashmére Overstrand asked with her strange dialect, while she looked into Septimus's eyes. "How did you know that?" Septimus said. "Aside from that you looks like all the other Heaps, and wears that apprentice tunic? I guessed." Cashmére answerd. Morwenna cut of their uncomfortable conversation. "Septimus and Nicko, welcome to the Forest." she said, "This is Cashmére Overstrand. Your friend Odale's mother. Boys, please settle down her with us.". Nicko gave Septimus a gaze that clearly said; _Did you knew that Odale's mother were alive?_. Nicko remembered that grandpa Benji had told him that Odale's mother were alive, but he didn't thought that Septimus knew it. _"Poor Odale that never came to know her mother." _Nicko tought, as he seetled down beside Septimus. Now Morwenna begun to talk, with her low, calm and well modulated voice. "You shall now begin a long journey, and I forsees some difficulties." she begun, "There's three things you got to know. The first thing is that you will search for, and infact find your sister and a Odale in the Port. The other is that tall, darke stranger for someone's, but not for everyone will also search for your sister in the Port." Morwenna paused, and politley the boys waited for her to continue. At last Cashmére opend her mouth; "And what is the last thing they should know, mother?". Morwenna awaked from her dreams. "Oh, right. Don't go to any circuse's." she answerd. Nicko burst out laughing. Septimus shuffed at him. "Nik, stop it... it's not funny!" he said. "Yes, it is!" Nicko answerd, still laughing. He sank down at the grass, and lied there, still laughing. "I apologize for my brother, witch mother. He nearly got killed by wolverine's yesterday, and it seems to has driven him mad." Septimus said and directed a kick against Nicko. But Nicko rolled away, and grunted as a pig in a troth. Morwenna smiled. "Don't mind it, Septimus. I'm used to the young Heap's clown-tricks. If it was before your brother's settled down here in the Forest, I wouldn't have understood it, but now I never gts shocked by you Heaps. And Nicko is just laughing, there's nothing bad in laughing." Morwenna rose up. Respectfully Septimus, the Wolf Boy, Marissa and Cashmére flew up at their feet. Nicko still laid at the ground, and shook in laughter. "Well, boys." Morwenna said, "We'll meet again.". Quickly Cashmére pulled out something of one of her pockets. 'It' seemed to be a little piece of moth-eaten, black fabric. She unfolded it, and showed Septimus the thing that was inside. "Can you to give this to my daughter?" Cashmére said, and handed Septimus the bundle. Septimus gave the thing inside the bundle a quick gaze. Inside the bundle there laid a bracelet that was very simular to the one Cashmére wore. The difference was that this, unlike Cashmére's, was maded in silver and had a blue stone in it. And if Septimus should have looked at the back of it he should have seen that it was engraved; _Odale- from the_ if he had looked at the back of Cashmére's, he would've seen that it was engraved; _Cashmére- rich_. "I will." Septimus answerd, and pulled the bundle into one of his deepest pocket in his apprentice-belt. Then he turned to Morwenna. "I'm sorry for my brother's behaviour, witch-mother. Thank you for your advices." Septimus said. "Don't forget to give Odale the bracelet." Cashmére said, "And tell her to visit me.". "If you wants, you can visit her..."-Septimus thought, which day?- "in three or four days." he said. Cashmére looked as she hesitated. "Cashmére, you can't wait forever. And to reject an invitement by the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's apprentice is very impolite." Morwenna folded in. Cashmére pursed her lips in a very Odale-like way. "Okay." she answerd. "Goodbye, witch mother. And goodbye... eh, Cashmére." Septimus said for the last time, and dragged up Nicko at his feet. Nicko rushed straight out of the circle and threw himself at the ground. Then he roled down the hill, until Septimus stopped him. "Nicko," Septimus said in a admonitory (and Odale like) like tune, "You do _not _laugh at an Wendrom Witch-mother. Never ever.". "Sor... sorry, Sep." Nicko sniffed, "It was... it was just so seriousley... and _witchlike_... and we all satand waited, and... and I thought that the third should be something _really _important... and then she said... and then she said...". "_Don't go to circuse's!_" Septimus, and howling with laughter he roled down the hill with Nicko. "You were very disrespectful against the witch-mother." Jo-Jo said angrily when he and the Wolf Boy reached them, "Marissa is angry. She sais that I shouldn't taken you here.". "Oh, don't be silly - _hick! _- silly, Jo-Jo!" Nicko, who had stoped laugh, but instead had hiccups, said. "Will you go away now?" Jo-Jo said in a tune that said that he clearly wanted that they got away. Septimus and Nicko nodded, both of them wanted to come away from the Forest and begun to search after Jenna (and Odale, because they knew that she were alive). Jo-Jo gave the Wolf Boy a quick gaze. "Will you take him with you?" he asked. Septimus looked at the Wolf Boy, ho once again stared at him with his hazel-brown eyes. He wished that the Wolf Boy could stop to stare at him in that way. The apprentice-robes weren't _so _strange, were they? "He stays here." Septimus said. "But Sep, we needs him. The track is more than one day old, and the Wolf Boy is the only one who can find such an old track." Nicko replied. "But we knows where Jenna, and Odale, is; in the Port." Septimus said. Nicko was silent for a moment. "You don't believes what that mad witch said, do you?" Nicko asked. "Nicko! She's _not _mad!" Septimus said. "But she's a witch, a _Wendrom Witch_. Once they kidnapped children, and if it was a boy they gave him to the wolverines..." Nicko said, but Septimus cut him of. "You, Nik, koncentrate. We wants to find Jenna, as you maybe remembers. That's why we're here, and I believes Morwenna. Even Marcia, who thinks that witches are rubbish, sais that Morwenna is clairvoyant. I believes that Jenna is in the Port." he answerd. "Don't understands what she would do there." Nicko muttered, "It's a dump.". "Simon must have taken her there, to leave her to the darke stranger that Morwenna told about. I've got a vague thought of where Odale could be, but I'm not sure. We got to get to the Port as quick as we can." Septimus said. "Okay." Nicko sighed.

Jo-Jo walke before them to the beach where they had moored the boat, and even though the things Septimus had said the Wolf Boy followed them. When Nicko had loosened the mooring, and Jo-Jo had pushed away the boat to deeper water the Wolf Boy took a leap and jumped on the boat. "What are you doing!" Nicko shouted when the boat dangerousley heeled over. But the Wolf Boy just curled up as an wild animal and stared at Septimus. At last the wizard apprentice couldn't stand it anymore. "Stop staring at me!" Septimus exclaimed, but the Wolf Boy keept on staring. The Wolf Boy stared steadily at Septimus until a tremble of recognizing ran through Septimus's body. He had been through this before. At a boat. At the river. Close the Forest. Together with the Wolf Boy. Suddenly he froze. Septimus settled down beside the Wolf Boy. "409?" he whispered. The Wolf Boy nodded and said his first words in four years; "You." the Wolf Boy smiled, "412.".

They sailed down the river. The Wolf Boy and Septimus sat beside eachother at the deck, and held their arms around eachothers shoulders and smiled wide. "He reminds me of you when we found you." Nicko said thoughtfully, "You never said a word, and stared at us as if we were crazy. Expet for Odale then. But both of you and Odale maked me freak out.". "Did I?" Septimus said, "I'm so sorry.". "But it didn't matter, we liked you. And Odale, sort of in the beginning. Then we hated her. Then we liked her again. You never knows about her, she's always got something up her sleeve, the only uncomfortable thing with her is that she is unpredictable, otherwise she's pretty cool." Nicko said. "Odale _is _predictable. If you expects the unpredictable." Septimus answerd. Nicko laughed. "Maybe you're right." he said.

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**(A/N so there you got the reason (in this FanFiction) why Marcia don't likes witches. Because Cashmére is a witch. Oh, and did you get the point with Cashmére's name? 'Cash'- as in money, and 'mére'- as the french word for mother. Just a funny thing my friend pointed out.)**


	20. Cha 20: The Darke Stranger

Chapter 20: The Darke Stranger

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It had been a long, warm day. Jenna, Odale, Indigo, Thunder and Stanley were on their way along the beach. The sea was calm and sparkling blue, and piles of sand extended as far as you could see. Jenna had just given Thunder the last of the water, but when she should hell up to herself, Odale and Stanley there were nothing left. Annoyed she pulled back the bottle into the saddle-bag, and she and Odale wondered (not for the first time) if Stanley's idéa to get to the Port throught the beach was so bright. Jenna had soon discovered that the horse got tired quickly when it walked over the loose sand. She had taken Thunder down to the tidal line, where the sand was loaded. But that was earlier, when the tide had been low and left a wide part of the sand loaded. Now the tide was high up at the beach, and Thunder was forced to plough through the loose sand. The sun stood lowly over the horizon when the tired Thunder rounded the last pile of sand, and Jenna and Odale to their big relief could see the Port, not too far away. "High five, Jenna!" Odale said to the tired Jenna. Odale wasn't as tired as Jenna, because she was used to long and tiresome journeys. Stanley also seemed thrilled. "I always gets so upset when I sees the first houses in the Port." he explained, "So much to do, and so many rats to meet. But not this time, of course. Got a job to do this time. And who'd ever believe that, huh? Secret spy-rat at missions for _royalities_.". "And soon you'll get kicked of by the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's apprentice, waow!" Odale snapped. Stanley looked offended, but didn't answer. "Not far from the Port now." Stanley said to Jenna. "Good." Jenna said. But she had understood that she couldn't get to aunt Zelda's cottage before night. She and Odale would be forced to stay in the Port over night. Jenna had heard about all the thives, smugglers and the bounty hunters in the Port. Odale had read her thoughts. "It's okay, Jenna. The undercover's in the Port knows who I am. They wouldn't dare to touch you as long as I am here." Odale said, "And just in case, if something like this would ever happend, I've got this." she continude. Jenna couldn't see what Odale pulled out from Odale's apprentice-belt, but she felt that it was something **darke**. The **darke **'something' was a cloak with an hood that covered Odale's face and Odale's robes. Even though the cold and **darke **aura, Jenna felt that it was something calming with the cloak. "And not a word about the cloak to Marcia." Odale said, "She would _so _freak out.". Somethig hissed in Jenna's ear, and Jenna shrieked. "Indigo! You _can't _do that a people you don't knows. Bad snake." Odale said, "I'm so sorry Jenna. Indigo isn't used to people yet.". "Indigo who?" Jenna asked. "Ehum, she's sort of my pet. Can you please don't tell Marcia about that either..?" Odale answerd. Jenna laughed. "It seems like it's much you don't wants Marcia to know." Jenna said. "You can't imagine." Odale mumbled to herself. "Can't you make the horse go _a little _bit faster, Jenna? I think that we wants to be in the Port before it's totally darke outside." Odale continude, higher this time. "There's no way that we'll be in the Port before it's darke. It will take at least one hour to get there." Stanley said. "Thank you, Stanley." Jenna and Odale sighed.

The darknesse had fallen when Thunder walked along the city's gritty beach and headed his steps against toward the southern slipway in the Ports utter part. His hooves sounded awful against the cobblestones under him, and it gave Odale part of the Port was hauntingly quiet. Tall, due trays crowded around the empty streets, and maked the streets feel like ravins and reminded Jenna about the Badlands. If they meet anyone at the way, the person (or whatever it now was) shrugged away from Odale. It was as Odale had said, she was well known among the undercovers in the Port. "Where shall we live, Odale?" Jenna asked. Odale sighed. "I don't know, Jenna. I got one idéa, but I don't thinks that it's such a bright idéa. Don't _you _know anyone here?" she answerd. "No. I've never sleept alone before." Jenna said. "I got a suggestion." Stanley folded in. "What for a place?" Odale asked. "Florrie Bundas lodging house." Stanley answerd, "It's not too far away from here,and it got a stable for the horse.". "Oh, thank you Stanley." Jenna said. It feelt like a burden had got of her shoulders. At least she knew where she and Odale could go. "It is certainly not what I should call classy." Stanley warned them, "And you will have to stand some plain fair old dirt. Pretty much dirt, infact. And not so fair, either. But Florrie is at least a friendly soul.". Jenna was to tired to care. "Just take us there, please, Stanley." she said. Stanley showed Jenna through the conglomeration of buildings to the crowded quay in that part of the Port where all the shops laid. It was there where moored after months at sea , loaded with exotic herbs and spices, silk and other beutiful fabrics, gold- and silver bars, emeralds and rubins and pearls from tropical islands. When Thunder came closer the quay they could see that someone loaded from a very big ship with a figure-head that depicted beutiful carved female-head, with darke hair. The quay was lighted by many torches, that astaded flaming shadows over the sailors, carriers and dockers, who scambered up and down at the gangway with the ships valuable freight. Thunder stayed in the outskirts of the crowd, there was no way that he could move through the crowd. When the treasures where a land they got carried to a cave-looking tray lighted by lightend candles. Jenna looked at the strams of treasures and noticed an impressing woman who stood beside the door, and was dressed in a long blue tunic with the First Tariff's gold-trans att her sleeves. "She's Alice Nettles." Odale whispered to Jenna, "She was lucky, DomDaniel didn't knew how to get rid of her. Somehow she got to knew it everytime.". On each side of the woman there was two scribes on opposite desks with opposite growing lists in front of them. As the valuable objects got carried into the trey, the carriers got stopped a moment, so that Alice (the Tariff) could tell the scribes what they should write. Sometimes she got interuppted by a tall, darke man dressed in magnificent robes in heavy, deep-red silk, sewn with foreign incisions. Alice seemd to get a little irritated over the mans interuptions and didn't let him stop her stream of instructions to the scribes. Odale guessed that the man was the ships owner, and (as usual) she were right. Finally the stream of freights begun to fade. The tall stranger beside Alice had to Alice's big relief released his incoming freights. Instead he had turned his attention to two figures at the horse outside; the girl with the golden circlet upon her darke hair. The girl wore a red tunic lined with gold, and upon her shoulder there was a seemingly lavish coat. Behind her (this was what shocked the man most) there sat a figure that only was a little bit taller than the girl. He couldn't see if it was a he or she, or if it was young or old, because it was dressed in a covering black cloak. The man was not didn't knew much about **magyk**, especially not **darke**, but even he figured out that it was a **darke **creature of some sort. He whispered something to Alice. She looked shocked, but nodded. The man leaved his place beside Alice, and went through the door. Odale recognized that quickly. "Jenna, we got to get away from here!" she whispered, "Someone has seen us.". Quickly the girls slipped of the horse, and Jenna begun to lead the horse, while Odale was on the differeny side and scanned the area with her vagilant eyes. Stanley sat at Thunders head and pointed out directions. "A little bit to the left. No, no, to the right. I said to the _right_. There's a hatch, there's a hatch! Oh no, you missed it.". "Oh, for life's sake, Stanley! Shut up before you becomes snake-food." Odale said, and Indigo hissed assenting. Stanley muttered something, but stopped talking. Odale looked around, someone followed them. "Let go of my cloak!" Odale exclaimed. Jenna looked at Odale's direction, and awaited to see Odale and a sailor fighting over something. But instead she saw the darke stranger. The darke stranger had appereantly tried to Odale's cloak, and Odale's hood had slipped of her head. Now the stranger stared shocked at her. "Who are you?" the stranger asked. "Why should you care!" Odale snapped and snatched back her cloak. Jenna swung up at the horse, and gave Odale a sign to do the same. With a little bit struggles Odale also got up at the horse, and Jenna kicked at Thunder, so he galopped away. "To the left! I said to the _left!_" Stanley shouted, but either Odale or Jenna cared. Everything they wanted was to get away from the darke stranger.


	21. Cha 21: Find You!

Chapter 21: Find You!

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"I'm not lost, a spy rat is _never _lost." Stanley said, "I'm just re-analyzing the surrondings.". "Re-analyz a little bit quicker then!" Odale snapped. "Yes, plase Stanley." Jenna said, and looked down the street, "That man from the quay is still following us.". The street was filled with people, a nearby circus had just had a late show. All the time people shuffed past Odale, Indigo, Jenna, Thunder and Stanley. And they talked loudly about the show, but anyways Odale noticed two familiar voices; "But she said; _Don't go to circus's!_". "You didn't believe everything that old witch said, did you, Sep?" Nicko said. Odale scouted through the crowd, but she didn't see anything. "Odale, what is it?" Jenna asked, but Odale didn't seem to notice. "Septimus! Nicko!" Odale shouted. "Strange, I think that I heard someone say our names." Nicko's voice, which came from beside a burly woman, said. "Probably someone with the same names." Septimus voice, which came from the same place as Nickos, replied. "But no one has such strange names as we've got, Sep. Especially not so strange as yours." Nickos voice answerd. "Hm, Nicko is a pretty strange name too, I think. My name at least means something.". Now Odale was sure that it _was _Septimus and Nicko. "Sep!" she shouted and threw her arms around him, "Sep, you're _alive! _Oh, I was so worried!". "Odale, what are you doing?" Jenna, who hadn't seen Nicko and Septimus yet, asked. "Jenna?" Septimus and Nicko said with one mouth, and Odale letted Septimus go. "Nik? Sep?" Jenna answerd, and both Nicko and Septimus rushed to hug her. "We found you! _We found you! _Jen, what happend?" Nicko said. "I'll tell you later, it's a long story. Is he with you?" the last thing was about the Wolf Boy, who Jenna just had noticed. "Yep. Tell you later." Nicko answerd with a smirk. "Would you be nice and step of my tail? It hurts, you're very heavy-footed." Stanley said. Nicko looked down. Stanley glared up. "Isn't that the message rat?" Nicko asked. "The _secret _rat." Stanley corrected him easily annoyed, "Goes anywhere, finds anything.". "Exept finds Florrie Bundas lodging house." Odale said loudly. "Found it." Stanley said and painted at a garish house, painted in so many colours that Odale nearly got headache again. At the house there was a sign that read;

THE DOLL HOUSE

FOOD AND ROOMS FOR GUESTS WITH CLAIMS

PAYING IN ADVANCE

"She've re-painted the place since I were here the last time. And changed the name." Stanley said, "Follow me.".

But there wasn't any rooms left at the Doll house, and once again they were at the crowded street. "But where shall we go no?" Jenna complainde. Septimus and Odale glanced at eachoter. "Well..." Odale said slowly, "You won't like this, but I knows a house where we at least can sleep.". "Why didn't you say anything aout that before?" Jenna exclaimed. "Because I'm talking about the Witch Port Coven." Odale answerd. Nicko, Jenna and the Wolf Boy widend their eyes. "Who are you hanging around, 412?" the Wolf Boy said. Odale smirked. "You have no idéa." she answerd, "But hurry up now, they may be going out for a raid.". Odale leaded them to the house beside the Doll House, and knocked at the door. When Odale almost had given up, one of the witches called Veronica opend the door. Veronica smiled. "You again? And more friends? Welcome." Veronica said. Odale gave the others a look that said 'C_ome on, they won't bite!'_, and stepped in. Afraid to be leaved outside, the others followed her. "Do you want dinner? There may be something left..." Veronica told them, "Not much though.". "No thank you, Verona, it's fine. Really." Odale said, "We only wants to get somewhere to sleep. Just for the night, it's complicated, but I can explain another time.". Veronica pursed her lips. "And did you visit the Wendroms?" she asked. Odale opend her mouth, but Septimus answerd before her. "Odale didn't, but Nicko and I did." he answerd. "And..? Won't you tell her?" Veronica said irritated. "Told me what? _Septimus?_" Odale exclaimed. "That your mother is a Wendrom Witch, if that was the thing that Veronica meant." Septimus replied. "She's a what! Is she even _alive? _Why has no one told me!?" Odale stared from Veronica to Septimus, she didn't knew who she was angry on. Or even _if _she were angry at one. "And your mother told me to give you this." Septimus said, and searched through his pockets. "Here it is." he finally said, and pulled the packet out of the pocket. Odale received it with an mix of disgust and recognition. She opend the little piece of fabric that the thing laid in. The thing were a bracelet. Odale frowned, and picked it up. "Odale- from the sea..." she read out loud, and followed the squiggly letters with her index finger. Then she turned it around and looked at the deep-blue stone on it. "Thank you Sep. I guess..." she said, and pulled the bracelet on. It was too big, but when she had pulled it on it shrinked perfectly around her wrist. Nicko whistled lowly. "Classy." he said. "How was she like?" Odale asked Septimus. "Serious." Septimus answerd, "And she also had a bracelet like that.". "How did she _look like?_" Odale corrected herself. Septimus bit his tounge, he wasn't so good at describing people. "She had darke-blonde hair. And witch-blue eyes. But else, your eyes are very much alike." Septimus replied. "Oh." Odale said, she wanted to _hate _her mother? Her mother had left her in the snow, when she was newborned. At the longest night of the year. But _why _didn't she hate her mother? "But where should you sleep then?" Veronica interupted Odale's thoughts. "Ehum, the living room at the second floor?" Odale suggested. The witches never used the living romm at the second floor. Verona shrugged. "If you wants." she said, "You got the house to yourselfs. The others has gone on a raid, but I will follow now. But however I trusts you. You can take whatever you wants from the pantry, but do _not _enter the decoction room.". Odale nodded. "Understood." she said shortly. Veronica smiled. "And well, I'm going now. Have a goodnight." she said, and went through the door. "You got a lot to explain, Odale Overstrand." Nicko said with a smirk.


	22. Cha 22: Sleuth

**(A/N A short chapter, but I hopes that it is good enough anyways.)**

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Chapter 22: Sleuth

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Odale woke up by a bouncing sound that morning. At first she couldn't identify where she was, but at last she remembered. She moaned, and sneaked to the window so she could shout to whoever it was that bounced a boll against the window to 'Freaking stop doing that, before I turns you to something horrable!', but when she opend the window something green and shining hitted her. Odale shrieked by the shock, but she held the thing hardly against her. She tried to figure out what it was. "Jenna, get away!" she shouted, when she realized what it was. "Huh?" Jenna asked drowosily. "Get away, it's a... oh!" Odale dropped the sleuth, but instead the Wolf Boy caught it. "Is it some sort of a **thing**?" he asked her. Odale shook her head. "It's a sleuth." Odale answerd, "And I think that it's here to **mark **Jenna.". "What is a sleuth?" the WOlf Boy asked, but Odale just stared shocked at him. The Wolf Boy looked very peculiar. He seemed to got an strange shade of green, and his hands glowed red from the sleuth, who collected energy to **mark **it's pray. Odale was pale when she looked at the sleuth, she had only heard about one of them and she didn't think that such an idiot **(A/N her words, not mine, but I must admit that I'm thinking in the same trails as Odale...) **could be capable to do one. Septimus slowly woke up. "What's going on?" he mumbled. "It's a sleuth... I... I..." Odale said, but got interupted. "Ouch. Oh... Ouch!" the Wolf Boy mumbled. "What is it?" Odale asked, and turned around. "Ouch, it beguns to be to warm! I... oh, I can't hold it anymere! Ouch!" the Wolf Boy dropped the sleuth, which quickly bumped up at Jenna's elbow and **marked **her. Then it jumped out of the window, and landed into the Port Witches garbage. Odale swored loudly. "We got to get away from here!" she said, and looked at the Wolf Boys hands, "But at first I got to take care of your hands." she continude and snapped with her fingers. Two white, clean bandages wrapped themselfs on each of the Wolf Boy's hands. "Nicko, wake up." Jenna said. "Mhrm..?" Nicko answerd. "We got to go, Nik." Septimus replied. "Why?" Nicko muttered. "Because Jenna got **marked **by a sleuth, so Simon will soon be after us." Odale said. "What!?" Nicko jumped up, "Why haven't anyone said something to me? Like awaken me?". Odale looked annoyed in a very Marcia like way, all who knew Marcia noticed. "Well you could've awoken by all the shrieks and so." she said angrily. "And where's that awful rat? I got to send him away to Zelda.". Stanley showed up from a little comfortable hole he had been sleepin in. "I'm here, but..." he begun. "But what?" Odale asked irritated. "I am- as I said before- _not _a messaged rat anymore, and I _won't _do a message rat's job." Stanley answerd. Odale sighed irritated, and lifted Stanley up in his tail. She held him infront of her face. "I'm going to tell you something you little brat," she said, "You _are _going to leave a message to Zelda Zanuba Heap in the keepers cottage.". "What would happend if I didn't?" Stanley said more bravely than he felt. "Then my Indigo will need some breakfast." Odale answerd. Stanley swallowed nerveousley. "Okay, sir. I meant, er... miss." Stanley replied. "Good." Odale said and dropped the rat at the floor. "Tell her that we will arrive as soon as possibly." she declared. When the rat had dissapeard out of her sight, Odale grimaced. "I hates to do that." she said. "Do what?" Jenna asked. "Acting like Marcia. It feels awful." Odale answerd, "But often you gets what you wants. I guess it's the attitude.". Septimus laughed. "What are you laughing at?" Odale snapped. "Just the fact that you're often acting like Marcia." Septimus snickered. Odale pursed her lips. "That's maybe because we're related." she said coldly. Septimus shrugged. "You asked for it." he said, and Odale rolded her eyes. "Well, maybe we should go to Zelda now, before Simon gets us." Odale said sullenly. The others agreed.


	23. Cha 23: On The Road

**(A/N A new chapter! Wohoo!)**

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Chapter 23: On The Road

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Odale had guided Septimus, Nicko, Jenna and the Wolf Boy out of the Port Witches house, and then they had went to the back-yard and fetched Thunder. Now they were on they were on the causeway to the Marram Marshes, where aunt Zelda's cottage were. Jenna led the way on Thunder, and beside her Odale walked with Indigo at her shoulders. Odale was nerveous, _really _nerveous. If Simon could manage to do a sleuth, who knew what he could do? After them the others came. Septimus, who felt that Odale was very nerveous, but he didn't understood why. Sure, Simon's sleuth had marked Jenna, but what? Odale was better than he at **magyk**, weren't she? "Sep, I'm very flattered about that you thinks that I'm better than Simon at **magyk**, but you don't understands. He got my..." Odale's voice faded. "He got your what, Odale?" Septimus asked. Odale took a deep breath. "For about three years ago, I... I created ropes that if you ties them around a person with **magykal **skills, the persons **magyk **will flow into the rope. It comes back when you takes of the ropes, but it may make the **magyk **a little bit unstable for a few hours." she said. "What?" Septimus asked. "It's a long story, Sep. However, Simon got those ropes, and then he can, you know. Tie whoever he wants, even Marcia. And then Marcia's **magyk **would get absorbed. That's the point, the ropes can absorb any king of **magyk**, **darke**, I could make a list." Odale answerd. Septimus widend his eyes. Odale shook her head. "As you see, I didn't think of the impacts then. But now I do, and now I'm also regretting alot." she said. "You don't needs to regrett anything, Odale." Septimus replied. Odale snorted. "Since when?" she asked. "Since you save Marcia's life." Septimus answerd. Odale roled her eyes. "Yeah, but I got her into trouble at first. Septimus, please stop acting like I'm a hero or something. I'm not, I'm the bad one." Odale said. "If you sais so." Septimus muttered.

Jenna, who was even more nerveous after that Simon's sleuth had **marked **her begun to notice a little, green thing that followed her in her eye-corners. And suddely she turned around, and hitted whatever it was for an annoying little thing. Buzzing the thing flew to the ground, and looked at the little thing. "Strange, I thought it was dead." Septimus said, when he looked at the Shield Bug. "What was dead?" Odale asked, and looked at the same thing as Septimus. "Jenna's Shiled Bug." Septimus answerd. "She got a Shield Bug?" Odale looked confused. "Well, we maded a few when Marcia gor captured and it turned out that you were DomDaniel's apprentice. We was scared that you would tell him our location." Nicko replied. Odale blushed. "Was Odale DomDaniel's apprentice?" the Wolf Boy asked. "Unfortunatley, yes." Odale answerd. "Aha, but no you're madam Overstrands?" the Wolf Boy said. "Yes, Marcia is Odale's aunt." Septimus replied. The Wolf Boy widened his eyes. "Wow." he siad. "Yeah." Nicko answerd, "Wow.". Odale picked up the Shield Bug, and gave it to Jenna. "I guess that it's yours, then." Odale said. Jenna laid the bug at her palm, and to everyones fascintation the Shiled Bug flew up at settled down at Jenna's shoulder. Odale nodded appreciativley. "At least you got something to protect yourself with." she told Jenna, "But don't rely too much on it. It's just a little Shield Bug.". "I won't." Jenna said.

After a while they took a pause. Odale was worried because aunt Zelda hadn't sent the Boggart. Didn't she know that they were on their way? Just to have something to do she checked the Wolf Boy's hands, and she wasn't happy over what she saw. But unfortunatly she hadn't her special ointment with her, so everything she could do was to mumble a few **anti-darke hexes**. "Does it hurt really bad?" she asked the Wolf Boy, not for the first time. "It's bearable, Odale, you can relax." the Wolf Boy answerd. But Odale couldn't relax, she blamed herself for that the Wolf Boy was hurted. Hadn't she dropped the sleuth, then he hadn't captured it, right? Septimus and Jenna was on their guards and looked over the marsh just to spot anything strange. But no one of the noticed the blach dot in the sky that came closer and closer...

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**(A/N It seems like I'm writing shorter chapters, but that won't last for long (I hope...)!)**


	24. Cha 24: Battle In The Air

**(A/N Is this my third chapter today? :S, I don't remember.)**

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Chapter 24: Battle In The Air

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Odale and Septimus spotted it at first. Or Odale spotted it at first, but she awoke Septimus directly when she saw it. "What is it, Odale?" Septimus had asked, but directly he felt the **darke **that was in the air. Odale had pressed a finger to her lips, and pointed at a blackfigure that flew across the sky. "Wake the others, I don't likes the size of that." Odale now whispered, and silently they awoke the others. Jenna grimaced and massaged her elbow, where the sleuth had **marked **her. "What's 'bout?" Nicko mumbled, and once again Odale pointed at the blackfigure, that seemed to search for something. Nicko looked hesitating at the figure. "Are you sure that that's not just a bird?" Nicko asked. "Yes, I am." Odale answerd. The Wolf Boy, who had begun to go back and forth had suddenly stoped. "Strange..." he mumbled half aloud. "What?" Nicko asked worried, he knew that the Wolf Boy could see as good as a hawk. "It looks like a giant bat... but no, wait a second... it is a- no it's not possible..." the Wolf Boy said. "What?" Septimus asked irritated, "What is not possible?". "It's an idiot that is flying around up there." the Wolf Boy answerd. "Are you sure, 409?" Septimus frowned. "Absolutley, 412." the Wolf Boy said. "But that's not possible- to fly around like that- for real, I mean, as a bird." Jenna asked full of horror. Everyone looked at Odale. "I'm afraid that you're wrong, Jenna. I've heard that DomDaniel owned the **flyte charm**, but I've always thought that it just was a rumor. I mean, I've never seen him use it. On the other hand, it would looke pretty silly with DomDaniel flying around." Odale answerd and shuddered. The black figure moved quickly, and very soon you could see that it was a flying human, with an bilowy black cloak behind. It swept over the marsh, zigzaged back and forth aimlessly. He flew quickly against the **mark **that his sleuth had given to him. "It _is _Simon!" Jenna gasped, she couldn't believe what she saw. "We got to hide!" Septimus said, "Come, Jen. To the reeds- quickly!". "I don't understand why you're so upset." Nicko declared, "We're five and he's alone after all- just old Simon, our prat to bigbrother. Okay, he has learnt how to fly, but what? I bet that you can do that too, 't you?". "No, Nik. Not like that. That's for real- that is **flyte**." Septimus answerd. "But you can go up and down, can't you? That is also flyte." Nicko said. "Just a few feet over the ground, Nik. Never like that. I didn't think that _anyone _could fly like that." Septimus said. Jenna had jumped up at Thunder again, she felt safe there, and beside her stood Odale prepared to fight to her death. She had still some prepared **thunder flashes**, and she weren't afraid to use them this time. Septimus pulled out one of his most valuable **charms **from his pocket. It was a pair of silver-wings that Marcia had given to him when he said 'yes' to become her apprentice. Marcia had also offered Odale a **charm**, but Odale had refused to take anything. She was happy enough with just being someones apprentice. Septimus held the wings in his hands. Across the shinging silver there read four words with letters in pure gold; **Fly free with me**. Septimus took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He imagines himself flying. When he opend his eyes again, he looked down at Odale. She gave him a quick smile, and Septimus landed with a thud.

Simon **flyed **with a little bit difficulties closer the group of kids. He had seen something he never had thought that would see again- something that he thought was eaten by the wurm in the Observatorium. "You has stolen my horse!" Simon shouted to Jenna, "You... you _horsethief!_". Jenna jumped of Thunder. "Leave us alone, and go away!" Odale said. "Leave my horse alone then!" Simon answerd, and lost height. Suddely he landed clumsy beside Jenna, who jumped away and dragged Thunder with her. Go away, Simon." Septimus said angrily. Simon laughed. "You're going to _force _me, you whipster from the Young Army? Don't think so." with an surprising rapidity Simon snatched the reins from Jenna and at the same time he grabbed her arm. He twisted it behind her back until she gasped in pain. "Let her go, you _swine!_" Nicko required and took a leap against Simon. But his brother was prepared with a **thunder stun**, that he threw in Nicko's chest. Nicko fell down to his feet, and tried to rise up, but he didn't succé. "Be thankful that you're my brother." Simon said to Nicko, who laid pale and with his arms and legs sprawling, "I don't **hurts **my family. Not lethal at least. But I don't sees. Just a few kids that has stolen our name, just as two of them has stolen _mine _apprenticeship.". His grip around Jenna hardend. "Stop it, Simon." Jenna gasped, "You hurts me.". "Do I? _Ouch!_" Simon's free hand flew up to his neck. "Stupid marsh-mosquitos." he said angrily and looked at the blood at his fingers. Without that he knew it Jenna's Shield Bug stood at his shoulder. It had just missed his vein with it's sharp sword and it had raised the weapon for a knew slash. The Bug was untrained. It's sword flashed against Simon's neck. "Stop!" Jenna couldn't let the Bug kill someone she saw as Bug stopped itself, very shocked. Why couldn't it finish it's job? "Stop what, princess? Do I still hurt you? Infact it seems as I am the one who've got hurted- as usual." Simon said a bit self-pitying. This time he would enjoy to give that annoying little brat called princess to the magogs. "Up on the horse with you." Simon said, "We're going now.". "No, Simon. We're not." Jenna said calmly. "You're not deceiding what we shall do and not. Up at the horse now." Simon dragged angrily her with him. "Do that again, Simon, and will let my Shield Bug finish it's work. I don't want to do it, but trust me. I will." Jenna said. "What Shield Bug?" Simon looked worried around, and then he understood what it was that had bitten him earlier. Again his hand flew up to his neck. He captured the Bug and stopped it with a hex. Then he trev it into the reed. "Aha, _that _Shielding Bug," Simon said in a taunting tune, "Up at the horse now.". "Up at the horse by yourself." Odale snapped. She had just maked sure that Nicko's damages wasn't lethal, even though Simon had said they weren't. "And get out of here and never come back." Septimus folded in. Simon, Odale and Jenna looked shocked up. Septimus soared about nine foor above the ground. That Septimus was shorter than Simon was no longer a problem. And now he stared challenging into Simon's eyes. "Leave Jenna alon, Simon." Septimus said, he had to koncentrate alot to both talk and hover at the same time. It wasn't so easy as he had hoped. As soon as he had figured out what he should say he found himself sink against the ground. "Go back to where you... whoops... came from and... whew... take your **darke magyk **with you." he finally finnished his speeche. Simon's eyes were obscure with ire. Septimus noticed that they were nextuntil black with worrying green flashes playing over his irises. "You can't fool me; you're fake." Simon said mockfully, "You're a fake Heap and a fake apprentice. You just've got one of those dinky little **wingspells**. Cheap junk. No manuverability, no spped and you can't come over the smallest hovel with them." as to emphasize what he just had said Simon shoot away high over Septimus and then he came back to circle around Septimus as an fierce wasp. "**Flyte**," Simon continude while he flew around Septimus and kept Septimus captured in the air, "**Flyte**, which you should know because that you're the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's little pet, is the last forgotten art and _I've _rediscovered it." Simon felt satisfied when he saw an chocked expression glimpse in Septimus's eyes. He had maked Septimus nerveous now, he knew that. This showed up to be funny- at last. "And you'd like to know where I found it, huh, you little worm." Simon continude to taunt him. Septimus stared at him, he laid down all his concentration to keep himself in the air. "Of course I would like to say that you can come home to your _dear _Marcia and her loyal **shadow **and tell everyone that the next ExtraOrdinary apprentice has discovered the forgotten art to **flyte**, but too bad for you and that lovley miss Overstrand you won't come back. You will stay here in the reed with that Shielding Bug. _Forever_." now Simon stopped to spin around Septimus.

Odale had heard enough, and now she sent away an well-aimed **thunder flash** against Simon. Simon turned around and pushed Odale back so that she fell down at her back. Precisley she roled away, and the **thunder flash **hitted the ground where her head had been. In the air Septimus took a leap against Simon, who wrapped his cloak tight around his younger brother so that Septimus couldn't move. Septimus fought against the **darke **cloak, but Simon turned it to an big, black snake that squeezed hard again. "Bite the other snake, Ins!" Odale shouted, and her loyal snake (who had been invisible all the time) took a leap against Simon's snake. Quickly, before Septimus got hurted, Indigo bit of Simon's snakes head. Simon stared shocked at his dead snake, so he didn't notice when Odale sent away a **thunder flash **against him. But it didn't hit him, and instead of kill him it maked him fell down to the ground. Cursing he limped to his horse, and clumsily he got up at his horse. Simon waved his hand in an rude gesture against Odale, but rode away against the Badlands. Odale snorted. "Weakling!" she shouted after him, but didn't stop him.


	25. Cha 25: In The Marram Marshes

**(A/N a new chapter! Please R&R!)**

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Chapter 25: In The Marram Marshes

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"_Now__?_" Stanley said as if he didn't believe his ears, "Do you want me to go _now?_". "That was what I said." aunt Zelda said shortly. She had just wrapped up the bandages around the Wolf Boy's hands, and she didn't like what she saw. Stanley stood outside the door at the Keeper's Cottage and looked at the sunshine where Jenna, Nicko, Septimus, Odale and Indigo sat (or in Indigo's case, laid at Odale's shoulders) beside the Dragon Boat. Jenna had a clean, white bandage around her elbow, and Septimus wasn't as pale as before. Stanley stared at the Dragon Boat. It was the most beutiful boat he ever had seen, and he had seen alot. The first was a tall dragon neck covered with shining, green scales, the head was maded i gold and it's eyes were darke dragon-green. The hull was wide and streamlined and shimmered as red gold in the sunshine. At the rear, where the tiller of mahogany were, the dragons tail rose up against the sky and it's golden, arrow-shaped tip glimmered in the sunshine. It was a happy, peaceful scene and Stanley felt safe there- he didn't want to go away. But aunt Zelda wanted something else. "There's no point for you to stay here." she said, "If you goes now you will get out of the Marsh before it's getting darke. Today is the longest day and the best day to travel in the Marsh on.". "Yeah, all the creatures in the Marsh are sleeping." Odale , who deceided to get into the conversation, said. "Not the marshhorrids." Stanley replied. "But marshhorrids don't cares about rats." Odale told him. "These did." Stanley answerd. "Did they crawl into your nose?" Odale asked. "Why would they do that?" Stanley looked suspicious. "That's what they do, and then they..." Odale begun, but aunt Zelda cut her of. "You don't have to tell him all the details, Odale. I'm trying to make him go to Marcia and tell the poor woman- and Silas and Sarah too- that you all are safe." aunt Zelda said. "Don't he want to go?" Odale asked. The rat rose his paw in protest. "Excuse me," he said, "I'm still here, and havn't said that I _shouldn't _go, miss. I should rather see that I _didn't _do it. If you don't got an special reason for me to go.". "Well, I do got an special reason for you to go." Odale answerd. Stanley sighed. "I thought that, so I'm going. Are there something that you wants me to give to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard?" Stanley said. "Thank you for that you reminded me! Wait a second..." Odale said and pulled out a piece of paper and a battered feather-pen. She snapped with her fingers and a bottle of inc appeard. The she wrote at the paper;

_Dear Marcia!_

_I'm hoping that you're okay. We (Septimus, Jenna, Nicko and Odale) are alright and at Zelda's Cottage for Jenna's midsummer visit to the Dragon Boat. And don't go close any ropes, I will tell you why when we're back. And don't send out Stanley on any more missions, I think that the poor rat would freak out. _

_Odale_

"Can you give this to Marcia?" Odale asked Stanley. The rat nodded. "Great, and Stanley?" Odale continude. "What?" Stanley replied in an easily irritated tune. "Than you." Odale said with an brief smile. "No problems." Stanley muttered, still a bit satisfied with himself. The most unreasonable person in the Castle had _smiled _against him and said 'thank you'. That wasn't bad, even Stanley understood that. "I'm hope that he makes his way safely." aunt Zelda said when Stanley had dissapeard. "Me too." Odale said.

Later at the afternoon the Wolf Boy had gotten fever. He laid at aunt Zelda's couch with **scaldbalm **and new bandages. Septimus sat beside him with an cool, wet cloth that he held against the Wolf Boy's forehead. "It is a **darke **scald, that's for sure..." aunt Zelda mumbled while she looked through a thick book, "I shudders at the thought what Simon can do if he can manage to do an sleuth- and a very effective one- who knows what he could manage to do?". "**Flyte**." Odale said angrily, "And probably a lot of other unpleasant **darke **tricks.". "_Real _**flyte**? Are you sure that he just didn't use an **wingcharm **and some illusions? They are good at illusions, the **darke **ones. Which you surely know, you've been there yourself." aunt Zelda asked. "I'm absolutley sure, Zelda." Odale replied, "And I am still at _that _side, I don't wants it, but it's true.". "Marcia said that the **flyte charm **doesn't exist." Septimus said after a whiles silence, "She said that the last alchemist **offered **it to make the purest gold.". Odale frowed. Septimus were right, Marcia _said _so. But Marcia didn't knew everything. "But I have heard that DomDaniel owned the **charm**." aunt Zelda said thoughtfully and looked at Odale. "Well, I've heard that too. But I've never seen the **charm**, and I've never seen DomDaniel use it." Odale said, "But enough about that. It's hopeless to talk about, we don't got the **charm **and we will probably never got it either!" and with that Odale went out of the cottage.

Odale had deceided that she should take a walk around the Draggen Island. When Odale was upset she either wanted to be close something that maybe was a _little _**darke**, it comforted her in a strange way. Or she liked to walk around, and there wasn't anything **darke **close aunt Zelda's cottage, so what could she do? Without knowing that someone watched her Odale headed against one of the hills at the island. The one who watched her was Merrin Merredith. Just as Odale he was DomDaniel's ex-apprentice, but unlike Odale the poor boy hadn't any relatives that could take care about him. Instead aunt Zelda took care about him. But Merrin didn't like aunt Zelda at all. At Merrins worst days he could stand her, but as his worst days (as that day) he couldn't stand anyone. Especially _not _aunt Zelda. However, when he saw the one who had mocked and taunted him almost all his life he felt scared. Was she here to hurt him _again?_ That would only be his bad luck. She looked sad and angry. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to say hello? The girl settled down beside a bush. What was her name? Opal? Odile? No, Odale was it. Slowly he walked against her.

_"What does he?" _Odale wondered. She had settled down beside a bush and burried her head in her hands. The boy, Merrin, came closer. He was dressed in badly fitting pants and a tunic in a grossly, homespun fabric. His grey eyes looked at her with an easily scared expression, but also a more confidently expression than before. "What do you want?" Odale snapped. "I-I just wanted to see if you were alright." he stammered. Odale sighed. "I am alright." she said. "Okay. Do you need company..?" Merrin continude. "Sure, settle down." Odale said in an irritable tune. Merrin settled down. "Why are you upset?" he asked, even though he knew that he wasn't good at comforting people. Maybe because none ever had comforted _him_. Odale sighed again. "It's a long story." she said. "Well, I likes long storys." Merrin said, "It helps you forget the empty feeling.". "Empty feeling?" Odale looked wondering at him. "Yeah. Ever since I got **consumed**." Merrin replied. They went quiet for a few minutes. "Aha." Odale answerd. "You got **consumed **too, I remembers that. Everyone was sad because of that." Merrin said. Odale got a little confused about Merrins brief sentences. "They were sad because of you too. Really." Odale answerd, the boy looked a little sad. "That was just because they thought that I were the seventh son of a seventh son. I'm worthless." Merrin said and sighed. "No, you've just hasn't seen your thing, as soon as you've found your thing you won't feel so." Odale said. What was she doing? Didn't she hate that boy? But it felt right to try to make him happy, after all she had harassed him in ten years. _"Ten long years..." _Odale thought. "I will never find my thing." Merrin sighed. "Of course you'll do!" Odale said, "I can help you. What do you like to do?". Merrin thought for a few seconds. "I don't really know." he replied, "I collected ants for a while. Do you remember that?". Odale didn't remember that Merrins had collected any ants. "No, not really." she said, "So you likes animals?". Merrin shook his head. "No, most of them are pretty disgusting." he answerd. "Okay. Eh, do you like reading?" Odale continude. "Nope." Merrin said. "Do you like..." but more couldn't Odale say, because aunt Zelda called at her. "Come with me." Odale said and dragged Merrin with her.

"Odale, I've thought about this potion. It's a little **darke **in it, and that would heal the **darke **in the Wolf Boy's scald's." aunt Zelda said. Odale nodded slowly. "Theoretical it would work, yes." she answerd. Aunt Zelda smiled. "Great." she said, and went into her potion-room. "What did she talk about, Odale?" Merrin asked. "Well that boy," Odale pointed at the Wolf Boy, "Got **darke **scales. It's a long story.". "Oh." Merrin answerd.

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**(A/N I knows what you do is thinking; 'What happend to Merrin? Isn't he supposed to be rude?'. It's just a talant that Odale got, she has easy to manupulate people's mood. We may see more about that later)**


	26. Cha 26: Dragons

**(A/N as the title says, this involves dragons. And one of these dragons is in love with Odale's hair.)**

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Chapter 26: Dragons

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The midsummer sun had just gone down over the marsh. Jenna, Nicko and Septimus sat at the steps into aunt Zelda's cottage and watched the last of the suns beams dissapear. Merrin and Odale sat in a corner. Merrin fed and counted his ants, and Odale watched while they talked a little. The Wolf Boy sleept heavy because of a potion that aunt Zelda had given him. Sometimes Septimus glanced at Odale and Merrin in the corner. He thougth that it was strange that Odale suddenly liked that boy. Odale hadn't talked well about him at the evenings with him and Marcia. Septimus sighed, what was she doing? When it begun to be midnight aunt Zelda gave Jenna a lantern so that she could visit the Dragon Boat. Merrin was already in his bed. He had went upstairs when that stupid boy who had taken _his _name had settled down beside Odale. Why did that boy have to destroy _everything?_ When Merrin _finally _had seen a person that he could call friend, then that _idiot _had to come and destroy it. Infact Merrin had thought that Septimus had glanced at Merrin and Odale pretty much at the evening. Even though Merrin didn't care at all about what the idiots who surronded Odale did with that silly boat, he couldn't help but watch what they were doing. What Merrin didn't know was that the Dragon Boat was half dragon. Once, for many hundred years ago the Dragon Boat infact had been a real dragon, but a **turned **itself to a boat. Merrin saw how Jenna laid her head against the Dragon Boats head, and to his big shock the Dragon Boat _moved_. It seemed as Jenna and the Dragon Boat commuincated silently. He would like to hear what they were talking about. Merrin loved to know what people was talking about; he had gotten the habit when he had been DomDaniel's apprentice. That was the only way for him to hear a human voice that didn't snapp, shout, hiss or something like that to him. Suddenly Jenna hugged the Dragon Boats neck, and went into the cottage again. Merrin felt sleepy, there was something ancient with the scene that he just had seen and it maked him _very _ sleepy. He went back to his bed, and closed his eyes. Merrin felt asleep quickly, and for once he didn't dream his usual nightmares.

Dowstairs aunt Zelda had lit a small fyre with apple-tree shives, and in the honour of the day she gave them juice maded of parsnip and cabbage. The midsummer night was special for white witches, especially if the witch was a Keeper of the Dragon Boat. Odale didn't understood how someone could drink that juice to _celebrate _something. Infact aunt Zelda's juice sort of reminded her of the **ekawa **that she (sometimes, because she really hated it) had been drinking when she was DomDaniel's apprentice. Odale with Indigo restig in her lap, Jenna, Nicko and Septimus sat beside the fyre and stared into it. Septimus and Odale thought of all the long winter evenings they had spent in Marcia's apartment, Nicko thought of the last time they had been in aunt Zelda's cottage, and Jenna thought about the Dragon Boat. At last Odale said something, and interupted the silence. "So, what did the Dragon Boat say?" she asked. "Odale." aunt Zelda said in a reproachful tune, "It is a very impolite thing to ask.". "Oh. Sorry, Jenna." Odale said. "But I don't got anything against to tell them." Jenna replied, "And I will have to tell you later, anyways.". "What did you say then?" Septimus, Odale and Nicko asked with one mouth. "She said... she said that she's not safe here anymore. That a **darke **one will come." Jenna said. Odale widened her eyes. "Odale, do you know anything about this?" Septimus asked. Odale shook her head. "No, but a **darke **one... I don't love how that sounds." Odale said. "But the Dragon Boat is safe here. I am her Keeper, and I will keep her safe." aunt Zelda folded in, "And why didn't the Dragon Boat said this the last time you were here?". "She didn't want to be locked under the ground again. She's nothing more than a human... Dragon, I meant." Jenna answerd. "Ouch." Septimus jumped up, "Ouch... there's something in my... pocket.". Odale sighed irritated. "Septimus, this is the second time in just two days. I'm sure it is one of the spiders from the Librarey." she said, "Take out the hand from the pocket.". "What's going on?" aunt Zelda asked. "Sep got a spider from the Librarey in his pocket." Jenna said. "A **darke **spider." Odale added. "A **darke **spider? Oh dear..." aunt Zelda mumbled. At last Septimus got the thing out of his pocket, and it bit him in the finger. Septimus tried to shook it of his finger, but it was a strong little green thing. But suddenly it letted his finger go, and it flew at Odale. Odale shrieked when it hitted her chest and fell down at her lap and onto the annoyed Indigo. "No, Indigo!" Odale exclaimed when the snake just was going to take a bite of the dragon-pup. Insulted Indigo slipped into a corner, as if Odale had offended her. "I think that this one- ouch!" the baby dragon flew into Odale's hair, and nestled into the hair at her neck. Odale shook her head violently, but the little dragon didn't let her hair go, it loved the smell of her hair. Her hair smelled like herbs (because that she washed her hair in warm water with herb-essence) and strong **magyk**. "Odale, keep still. Let me take it." Septimus said, and grabbed the dragon-pup. With a bit struggle he finally got it out of Odale's hair. "Thank you, Sep." Odale gasped. "No problems... er, is it a dragon?" Septimus looked at the thing he held in his hands. "Nope, it's a over-grown hamster." Odale joked. "With scales." Nicko added. "And fangs." Jenna continude. "And wings." Odale said, and she, Jenna and Nicko laughed. The dragon-pup struggeld out of Septimus's arms and unfurled it's tiny wings. Then it took a leap to Odale's hair again, but this time Odale was prepared. She catched the little dragon. "Sep, you better keeps an eye at that dragon, soon I will feel tempted to let Indigo bite it." Odale warned Septimus, when she handed him the dragon. "Sure." Septimus sighed. He didn't doubt that what Odale said was true. "And Sep..." Odale continude. "Yes?" Septimus replied. "Your finger is bleeding." Odale answerd. "Oh no, not again!" Seåtimus muttered.

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**(A/N That's it, it took a while to write it, but it's finally done. Or maybe I should say as one of my friend always says after a test in maths; "It's over. It's done.". He's sort of a drama-queen. **


	27. Cha 27: Spit Fyre

**(A/N New chapter! Yay! Review, plz.)**

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Chapter 27: Spit Fyre

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"Now you won't get rid of it." aunt Zelda said to Septimus while she bandaged Septimus's bleeding finger, "It **inprinted **you when it bit you. You'll have a though time when it grows up. You should get a book about raising dragons, but from where... I have no idéa.". Septimus sat and looked at the rests of the 'stone' that she had given to him the last time they was at aunt Zelda's cottage. Jenna had given it to him when it turned out that Odale (or Laurine, as she was called then) was DomDaniels apprentice. Septimus had kept the stone very dear, it was the second gift he ever had received from someone (the first was the Dragon Ring, which Odale had given to him). He stared at the thick, green egg-shell, and couldn't understand that his beutiful stone had turned out to be a dragon. _"What is the odds?" _he thought to himself. Septimus didn't know that there was about five-hundred dragoneggs scattered around the world, and the last time a dragonegg had got hatched by a human was very, very long ago. Another thing that Septimus didn't knew was _how _his dragon egg had gotten hatched, but it maybe could've been like this;

At first, he had given the egg and flying start at his last visit at aunt Zelda's cottage when he had laid the egg in front of the fyre. A dragonegg needs a temperature over at atleast 26 degrees **(A/N Centigrade)** in over a day. Then it needs a years constant warmth and movement. After that Septimus had rescued the egg from the fyre, he had deceided to keep the egg in his pocket which didn't only give the egg warmth, but also the movement that a dragonegg needs. Septimus had (without himself knowing it) given the egg warmth and movement in one year and a day. When one year and a day has passed by, the dragonegg needs a sharp knocking to awake. If this hadn't happen in a time of six months the dragon would die. Fortunatley the wolverines had done that part for the egg. After that the dragon had been almost done, but still everything could go wrong. Now the dragon egg needed something **darke**, and here the story went unclear. If it was Septimus's brother Simon or if it was Odale who gave the dragonegg a little bit **darke**, but atleast the dragon did get some **darke **and that's the important thing. And when the egg had gotten some **darke **into it, the procedure was done. It would hatch within twelver hours, and that was exactley what had happend here. "I don't know much about dragons, Sep." Odale said, "But I knows that you better gives it a name. Quickly- otherwise it will be nameless, and then it won't come when you calls for it.". Septimus yawned. "What about some sleep first? I maybe figures something out when I'm sleeping..." he answerd. "Nope. Name first, then you can fall asleep." Odale said. Septimus had no idéa what he shoud call the dragon. He stared at the dragon. What name could possibly fit a dragon? Suddenly the dragon sat up, and coughed out something. Two tiny flames spurted out of the dragons nosetrils and scorced Septimus's hand. "Ouch!" Septimus gasped, "It spits fyre at me. That's it- Spit Fyre. It's the name. _Spit Fyre_.". "Do it then." aunt Zelda said. "Do what?" Septimus asked. "Name it. You got to do it according to the rules, as with everything else." aunt Zelda answerd. "Hm... Let me think now, I know what you gots to say, Sep... Oh, right." Odale replied, "**Oh, faithful companion and fearless friend, who will be with me until the end, I name thee Spit** **Fyre**... Or Greger or Ratface, whatever you wants.". Septimus stared at the dragon in his arms, and mumbled tired; "**Oh, faithful companion and fearless friend, who will be with me until the end, I name thee Spit Fyre**.". The dragon looked steadily at him with it's green eyes and coughed up something more. "Yuck." Septimus said.

Septimus didn't get much of sleep that night. Spit Fyre refused to fell asleep. Everytime when Septimus just had fallen asleep Spit Fyre bit his fingers or scratched Septimus's robes with his claws. At last Septimus got too tired of his dragon, and pulled Spit Fyre into the pocket where he had kept the egg. Then Spit Fyre fell asleep. Spit Fyre also awakend everyone too early in the morning, when he fluttered furiousley against the window as an giant butterfly. "Tell it to calm down, Sep." Odale groaned sleepily. Septimus clived up and took away Spit Fyre from the window. He had already begun to understand what aunt Zelda had meant. Once again he pulled the dragon into his pocket. Odale rose up and yawned. "I'm going out, are you with me?" she said. Septimus nodded, Spit Fyre probably needed 'a walk' in the fresh marsh-air. Besides, he didn't want to wake up the others who already slept heavily. _And _he didn't say no to a moment alone with Odale either. Silently they closed the heavy door behind them, and begun to walk at the path to the Dragon Boat. Someone was already there. "A beutiful morning." aunt Zelda said thoughtfully. Septimus and Odale settled down beside her at the wooden bridge over the Moat. "I thought that the Dragon Boat maybe should see it's cub. I meant that I suppose that Spit Fyre is the Dragon Boats cub." Septimus said. "I think so." aunt Zelda replied, "But you never knows with dragons. Spit Fyre has **inprinted **you, so I wouldn't mess things up.". She handed Septimus a book. "Here you go, I found it for you. I knew that I had it somewhere." aunt Zelda said. Septimus took the book. It was a small, thick book reserved in something that looked as green dragon skin. It's name was; _The art to survive while raising a dragon; A practical introduction_ **(A/N If you knows what it's called in English, please tell me! I couldn't find out...)**. "Thank you, aunt Zelda." Septimus said. For a while they just sat there, in a friendly silence. Odale wondered if Marcia had gotten the message, and if she was worried for them. Septimus just thought about a lot of things, of Spit Fyre and such. And if Marcia would accept his new... pet. Aunt Zelda stared at the sky, in her own little world. There was something with her that caught Septimus's and Odale's attention. They looked at her. She had a worried expression, and her deep blue witch eyes glimmered as if she focused at something up there. Suddenly she rose up. "Don't look up." she said with an low voice, "Don't run. Just walk slowly into the cottage, both of you.". Something in her voice maded even Odale do as she was told, and she and Septimus walked into the cottage. When they had came inside aunt Zelda calmly closed the door behind them. "Jenna was right." aunt Zelda whispered, almost to herslef. "The Dragon Boat isn't safe here anymore.". "What did you see?" Odale asked, although both she and Septimus knew the answerd. "Simon. He's up there, **flying **around as an vulture. Waiting." aunt Zelda answerd. Odale let out an furious, wolf-like growl. "_This time_ he's going to get it! I'm gonna blast him of the sky!" she hissed. "Odale, no. You'll get hurted." Septimus said. He didn't want to admit it, but this Odale scared him. She almost was wolf again. Just the thing that she was... well, human. Odale took a few breaths, and calmed herself down. She looked at aunt Zelda. "The Dragon Boat is going to be fine." she said, "I'm going to take it to the Castle.". How she would do it; she had no idéa. But Odale knew that with some help from Septimus, Jenna and Nicko it would work perfectly well.

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**(A/N That's it. Hope ya' like it.)**


	28. Cha 28: Leaving The Marsh

**(A/N another chapter, and well, there's nothing more I could say. Any questions?)**

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Chapter 28: Leaving The Marsh

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"Listen to me now, Sep." Nicko said, "You've flied her before and you can do it again.". "But I don't know what I did then, Nik. It wasn't me, it was the boat." Septimus replied. "C'mon, Sep. You got the ring this time. As far as I remember Marcia had it last time." Odale said. Septimus looked at his ring. He loved it, but right now he wished that he hadn't been it's owner. Why don't Odale, who always knew what to do? Or Nicko, who knew everything about boats? "Because you _are _it's owner, Sep." Odale, who had **read **his thoughts, told him, "And besides- you're the seventh son of a seventh son. Can it be any better?". Septimus blushed. "It's okay, Septimus." aunt Zelda said, "Sometimes you got to do things you don't wants to. I really don't really likes to send the Dragon Boat away, but I _has _too.". Septimus looked at her. "But what will you do when she's not here?" he asked. "I will make sure that the Wolf Boy heals properly. And keep and eye at Merrin and his horrable **darke **binocular that he believes that I don't knows anything about." aunt Zelda answerd. "Shall 409 stay here? With that horable apprentice-lad?" Septimus looked down. Odale elbowed him. "Septimus!" she said, "He isn't horrable. He's just... He's just... Well, how would _you _feel if it showed up that your name really wasn't your name at all?". "Odale, now you're just defending him." Septimus snapped. "I'm not!" Odale answerd. "You are!" Septimus said. "Stop fighting. Merrin won't be around here much longer, as soon as I can leave the Wolf Boy for a day I will reunite him with his mother." aunt Zelda told them. "His mother?" Odale and Septimus said with one mouth. Aunt Zelda smiled. "Yes his mother. Sister Meredith, the host at the Doll House." she said. Odale shuddered. "Are you sure? She's creepy." Odale replied. "Well, you don't choose your parents." aunt Zelda told Odale. Odale grimaced. "Unfortunatley not." the girl thought for a while about how different her life would've been if she had grown up with her parents. "So you would go to the Castle?" Septimus asked aunt Zelda. "Yes. I'm sure that I could live with Marcia. After all the time she've been here it wouldn't been more than right. And besides- I could bring her toothbrush!" aunt Zelda answerd. Septimus smiled wide when he thought about aunt Zelda in Marcia's apartment, but Odale sighed irritated. "Zelda, it _isn't _Marcia toothbrush! For the last time, it _isn't!_" she said. "Of course it is! Who else could it belong to?" aunt Zelda replied. "Probably yours, Marcia and Jenna didn't exactley have any time to pack their thing the last time. And not the other either." Odale said irritated. Aunt Zelda looked thoughtfull. "Well, I haven't thought about that..." she replied. "I got to say goodbye to 409." Septimus said, mostly to avoid Odale's and aunt Zelda's argument.

Ten minutes later Septimus had said goodbye to the Wolf Boy and Odale had said goodbye to Merrin. Septimus had also pushed Spit Fyre into a dragon-safe bag, and the little dragon-cub slept heavily in a cabinet at the Dragon Boat. The dragon had been sleeping the whole day, but the last thing Septimus wanted was that the dragon would awake and cause trouble. Septimus, Odale, Nicko and Jenna was ready to get away from the island. Odale stared at a grey cloud, which she felt was **darke**. "Can you get the thing going?" Odale asked Septimus. "Wait a second! I got something to Jenna." aunt Zelda said. Then she handed something to Jenna. "This is the key to the Queens Room." she told Jenna, "You will find it when the time is right.". "Oh. Okay, thanks." Jenna answerd. "Get away now. Don't keep _too _high speed, and only fly her to the river. Then you can sail her." aunt Zelda said. "Zelda, it will be fine." Odale said. "Hm guess you're right. Well, well. Goodbye then, everyone." aunt Zelda replied, and stepped of the boat. Septimus took a deep breath and looked at Nicko. "Are you ready, Nik?" he asked. "Yepp, captain." Nicko smirked. "Jenna... are the dragon ready?" Septimus continude. "She is. But she wants to know where you'll take her." Jenna answerd. "Ehum... Tell her that I will take here to where she wants. That I will take her to the Castle." Septimus said, "And Odale..?". Odale had appointed herself as 'dragon keeper', which ment that she watched the cabinet where they had putted the sleeping Spit Fyre was safe, and that the dragon didn't get out. "Yes, just _get the thing going!_" Odale replied nerveousley. Boats was... okay, but _flying _boats was _not _okay. Suddenly a figure rose up from a hill a little bit farer away, Merrin. He waved to them. Or atleast he waved to Odale. Odale waned back, and so did Jenna. Nicko and Septimus didn't care. With a little bit struggle the Dragon Boat succed with getting out from the little bay where it was moored. Odale kept her eyes shut all the time. The Dragon Boat stretched out her wings, but the she was ready. She (the Dragon Boat) took a few deep breaths. Her crew felt a shiver go through her as she begun to move and whip her wings through the warm summer air. The golden boat slowly slipped forward. Her wings beated strongly, and suddenly it lifted fro the ground. "Stop!" aunt Zelda shouted, "Stop!". But no one heard her. With furiously fluttering wings the Dragon Boat leaved the Moat. She paced quickly and steep. Odale moaned, and hided her head in her hands. Finally, after so many years, the Dragon Boat completed it's journey to the castle.


	29. Cha 29: Second Air Battle

**(A/N I don't knows how many times I have written this, but; Another chapter.)**

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Cha 29: Second Air Battle

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Odale felt sick. She had been on the Dragon Boat during a flyte once before, and it wasn't a good memory. Infact, it barely was a memory. Then she had nearly gotten **consumed**, and honestly she didn't remember much more than the sounds. Odale moaned, even though all her years as DomDaniel's apprentice nothing could prepare her for _this_. Odale opend her eyes, and looked up to the sky. The something caught her eye; something shining bright came against them in an very high spped. She shriked, that was an **thunder flash**. She jumped up from where she sat, and parried it. Odale looked around, and then something caught her eye. "Sep, the cloud!" she exclaimed, and pointed at the grey cloud that had been over them at aunt Zelda's. "Simon!" Septimus muttered. "What!?" Nicko and Jenna asked with one mouth. Odale swore loudly. "What do you think he'll do, Odale?" Nicko asked. "I don't really know, but I got a feeling about that he won't just drop by and say 'hey, nice boat'." Odale answerd. They saw an figure came out of the cloud. "Hm, maybe we should hurry up a little." Nicko muttered. "But I don't know how." Septimus said, but at once the boat begun to fly faster. Suddenly they could see Simon clearly. Septimus stared at his brother- there was something different with him... He had an eyepatch for some reason. Septimus smirked, he had probably gotten hurt somehow. "I'm going to make you stop grinning if you don't puts down this... this _mutant_." Simon shouted to Septimus. "What did he say?" Odale wondered. "I don't no, Ods, probably he said something stupid. As usual." Nicko said loudly. "Give me the Queenling, and I'm letting the rest of you go!" Simon shouted. "Haven't you heard that these words never works, freshman!?" Odale answerd, and for a moment she forget a little where she was. "You better comes down!" she continude. Simon growled something, and sent away an **thunder flash**. With an simple flick she sent back to Simon, who just ducked. Simon stayed for a while where he were to catch his breath. Then Odale picked out something from her pocket. "What is that, Odie?" Septimus asked nerveousley. "You'll see." Odale answerd with an smirk, and held the **magnifyer **so that the sun got reflected in the brass-handle. She directed the **magnifyer **so that Simon got the solar cat in the one of Simon's eye that hadn't an eyepatch. It took a while before the reaction, but suddenly Simon's hand flew up to his eye. He shrieked, and flew away to see what it was that had blinded him. But Odale followed his movements, and now Simon tried to escape the **darke ****curse **that seemed to follow him- he had felt the **darke **in the **magnifyer**. Soon he understand what it was. "You!" he shouted furiousley to Odale, "That'll be the last thing you'll ever do!". Shaking in anger he pulled out an **thunder flash**. Odale was not preparedfor it this time, and too late she understood that she couldn't save anyone. Anyways she shuffed Jenna away as far as she could. But she knew that it wouldn't help much. The **thunder flash** hitted the Dragon Boats left wing, and the boat begun to loose height quickly. Odale mumbled a few words to slow down the fall. _"No, do something against the **darke one**."_. Odale blinked shocked. Was that the Dragon Boat? Whoever it was, she aimed at Simon with a **thunder stun**. Odale didn't want to waste power, and the fall would kill him anyways. Her **thunder stun **hitted Simon perfectly well, and he flew away from the boat.

Merrin was just in an loud fight with aunt Zelda. She had seen him watch the fight with an **darke binocular** that he had found a few weeks earlier. And she had interpreted his expression as maliciousley (which it of course hadn't been, he had been worried for Odale). Then Simon Heap had landed in an small dam close Merrin, and Merrin had gotten soaking wet, which hadn't maded him much happier. Merrin was tired about that aunt Zelda always told him what to do, it annoyed him very much. She was nextuntil as DomDaniel. Or no, she was _worse_. DomDaniels had at least letted him has his own stuff, and Odale too. Aunt Zelda had missed the huge splash that Simon had achieved when he fell down into the small dam nearby Merrins 'hideout'. Something drawed Merrin to Simon, there was something that told him that Simon could fix what Merrin was searching for. Something to do. Merrin had helped Simon up, and now they watched eachother. Simon felt that Merrin maybe could be useful in the future. "So you lives here with the witch?" he asked Merrin. "N-no." Merrin answerd, as if living with aunt Zelda was something to be ashamed for. "Of course you do. And where did you find that **binocular**?" Simon continude, that boy was... special. "And if you didn't live here, where would you else live at this dump?". "Well, sure it's a dump, isn't it? That witch has no idéa about how the real stuff looks like." Merrin replied. Simon looked at Merrin. "And you do?" he said lowly. "Yes. I was apprentice to the best **necromacer **that can ever be found. He confided me everything. _Everything_." Merrin answerd. Simon looked shocked. So _this _was one of DomDaniel's last apprentice's. Suddenly Simon got an idéa. "You got to miss him a lot, don't you?" he asked with a voice filled with sympathy. "Yes, I do." Merrin muttered and succéd with convince himself that he missed the **nercomacer**, "A lot, infact.". Simon eyed the boy again. He wasn't an ideal, but he was enough. And Simon wanted that **binocular**. "Do you want a job?" Simon asked. "A job?" Merrin asked stunned. "Yes, a _job_. Something alike the one you had before." Simon said. "How much alike?" Merrin wondered sucpiciousley. "How could I know that?" Simon said, a little bit annoyed, "I don't knows what you did before.". Merrin thougt a bit. Maybe this wasn't such an good idéa, Odale didn't like that man after all... "Merrin Meredith!" aunt Zelda's furious shout cut through the silence, "Get away from that _evil man_, at once!". The she rushed into the cottage again, she had more important things to do. "So? Do you want the job, or not?" Simon asked, even more irritated. "Go for it." Merrin said. "The we shakes hand on it." Simon said, and gave Merrin his hand. Merrin took his hand, and before he could react he was in the air. "Help!" Merrin shouted, he already regretted his decision, "Someone, help me!". But no one (exept for Simon, who didn't care) heard him.


	30. Cha 30: Landing

**(A/N It's a short chapter, and most of it is a dream. But I hope that you'll enjoy it anyways!)**

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Chapter 30: Landing

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The Dragon Boat lost height quickly. Septimus had just succed to not hit an island filled with chickens, but that had used the last of the Dragon Boats powers. "Tell her, Jena, that it isn't a long way left!" Septimus shouted to Jenna, who sat at the Dragon Boats neck and whispered comforting words to it. "We are very close the ground, Sep." Nicko said, as they flied over a big, green surface, a sign that they were over the Quake Ooze. "Maybe we should find a place to land on, first." he added. "Where, for an example?" Septimus replied shortly. "I don't know. Somewhere flat, I guess." Nicko answerd. "You mean as the very nice, very flat Quake Ooze? With a lot of nice brownies in it? Maybe some nice rests of _Venegeance?_" Odale snapped, she was scared to death. This was _one _of her nightmares. Not that she was at the Dragon Boat, but that she would fall into the Quake Ooze. "There's no need to be like that, Ods." Nicko said. Odale looked around. "Maybe I could do something." she muttered. "You _can?_" Septimus and Nicko asked. "Maybe. If I just remembers... Hm." Odale said, and mumbled something to herself. "Was that the **spell**?" Nicko asked. "No, just shut up. I got to concentrate on this." Odale replied. She took a few deep breaths, and concentrated. Odale had never did something even close to whatever (she didn't even knew what she was doing) she was doing before. Okay, she guessed that it theorteically should work, but she wasn't sure. Odale had **forced ****(A/N it's like 'cause' but living people can do it, and it's a 'darke' trick)** grass to entwine itself to an bier that would carry the Dragon Boat to the river. If everything worked well. "Odale, the **darke**... Please tell me that it is you." Septimus said. Odale nodded feeble, this took much energy. Nicko whistled lowly. "That's what I calls **magyk**." he muttered. Odale snorted, and letted the Dragon Boat sink a little. "That's what I'd call **darke**." Odale replied, "But hush now, you have no idéa what this takes.". Finally the boat was over the river, and Odale could let it go all the way down. Exhausted Odale settled down at the deck. "Can you take it from here, Sep?" she gasped. "Sure, Ods." Septimus (who had begun to use Nicko's nickname at Odale) said. "Great." Odale mumbled, and laid her head down. "Ods, should you really sleep _now?_" Nicko asked, in a joking tune. "With great skills comes a great need to take a nap." Odale yawned, "Wake me up if it happends something.". After just a few seconds she fell asleep, and then Indigo curled up against Odale's back. The snake had laid in a corner and grouchy until then, but now she had deceided that it was time to forgive her mistress.

_It was darke all around her, and Odale felt cold. She shuddered, and drawed the cloak that she weared tighter around her. Surprised she noticed that it was the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's cloak, and then she noticed that she wore the whole uniform for the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. "What the..?" she mubled. "Madam Odale!" someone shouted. Instinctively Odale turned around. "Help us, madam Odale!" even more voices joined in, and begged her to help them. "Where are you?!" Odale answerd the shouts. "We're here, right here!" the voices howled. That didn't help Odale very much; all the voices seemed to come from different places. "Odale? What are you doing here?" Septimus went into the 'room' where Odale was. He wore, as Odale, the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's robes. "Septimus?" Odale said. Septimus looked grim. "I thought that I had **exiled **you from here." he said coldly. "What?" Odale gasped. "Yes. After that you murdered Marcia, don't you remember? At least _I_ do." Septimus's eyes stared straight into Odale's. "I haven't murdered Marcia! I woul never do, you _knows _that Sep!" Odale exclaimed. Septimus's face went red with anger. "Do you think that I'll trust you again, huh!? But I remembers the last time! Why don't you go back to your stupid master and planns another plan that will fail!" he howled. "Sep, what are you-" Odale begun, but got interupted when another person entered the room. Septimus went from red to pale. Odale frowned and turned around a second time. A cold laughter filled the 'room'. "Very exellent, my servant. Now we got him exactley where we wants." Simon Heap said, as he appeard by Odale's side. "How could you, Odale!" Septimus yelled, "I trusted you! She- Marcia- trusted you, everyone did! And you betrayed us!". Simon laughed again, but it wasn't his voice. It was DomDaniel's. "Guards!" Simon, who sounded as DomDaniel, commanded. A gang of guards rushed into the 'room' and grabbed Septimus. "Traitor!" Septimus yelled, but it wasn't Septimus's voice. It was Marcia's. _

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**(A/N So? What did you think about Odale's dream? Just wondering :D! And until next time, have a good time!**


	31. Cha 31: Returning

Chapter 31: Returning

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Under the early morning-hours the following day while the Dragon Boats master sat and half-sleeped beside the helm the Dragon Boat showed up at the Moat, and purposefully kept sailing at the Moat. They were watched by a few gulls and Una Brakket. The house-keeper didn't sleep well at the time, and she had just awaked from an nightmare that as usual was about Odale Overstrand. She didn't remember exactley what the dream was about, but both Odale and Marcia was involved. As usual. Una sat beside the window and looked out, when she spotted the Dragon Boat. _"I must be dreaming yet." _she thought sadly. She looked at the crew at the boat. Sure, there was that annoying little girl. Una moaned, Marcia couldn't be far away either. The housekeeper sighed and wished that her dream would end soon, preferably bt that all the Overstrands dissapeard from the earths surface. Una sat and watched the Dragon Boat round the bend that lead to the boatyard, and awiated that Marcia would show up.

The Boatyard was empty when the Dragon Boat and it's crew arrived. Nicko jumped of the bow with a coars, azure-blue rope to moore the Dragon Boat when she stopped. But the Dragon Boat seemed to think about something else. "Ptro!" Nicko shouted and ran alongside with the boat alongside the bridge, "Stop her, Sep, she goes to far!". Odale (who had been asleep all the time) jumped up. "It wasn't me! I swear!" she yelled. "Odale, what are you talking about?" Septimus asked. "Can you take that later and _stop the boat!?_" Nicko shouted. Now Septimus was wide awake. "She doesn't stop, Nik! Jen, tell the boat to stop.". There was a big splash when Nicko was forced to drop the rope so that he wouldn't fall into the water himself. Septimus begun to panick. How do you stop a boat, especially one who seems to have it's own opinion on everything? "She say that she's not there yet, Sep!" Jenna shouted back. "Not where?" Septimus asked when the Dragon Boat ruled against the innremost part of the boatyard, an blind alley called 'the gutter'. "She's not where she can be safe!" Jenna answerd, "Sep, Ods, hold on! She'll go into this.". The Dragon Boat made a wide arc, and then she turend so that the bow pointed straight into the gutter. Nicko caught up with them and ran beside them. Infront of the Dragon Boat the gutters end laid- the massive Castle-wall- and Nicko knew that they kept to high speed to stop. They would crash into the wall. He shouted helplessly; "Stop! Stop her, Sep!". But Septimus couldn't do anything, the Dragon Boat didn't listen to it's master. From her place in the bow Jenna could clearly see the mighty Castle wall rise infront of them. She threw herself down at the deck, and awaited the inevitable collision. Odale seemed to have some alike thoughts and closed her eyes. "No... _oh?_" they heard Nicko's voice and suddenly they felt that it had gotten darke and cold. Jenna and Odale opend their eyes. They were _inside _the Castle wall, in a cave maded of lapis lazuli. Odale whistled lowly when she looked around. "You can open your eyes, Sep. I suppose that the Dragon Boat is _home_." Odale told Septimus.

In a dilipated shack on the other side of the river Jannit Maarten awoke. She lit a candle, and would go out of her shack. But when she was just going out of the shack she dropped the candle. "What in Neptune's name is that?" she exclaimed. In a few seconds Jannit was beside Nicko. She had no words as she watched the new dimension of her boatyard. Though it was a little too flashy for Jannit's taste. Herself she would never dream about cover a such huge boathouse in lapis lazuli, and she would _never _take the trouble to paint all those funny little picktures everywhere. And about the gold-inlays around the door... That was just stupid. But Jannit saw that it was an amazing place- and better up: in there was an wonderful boat. Jannit, who wasn't so emotional herself, felt very taken and had to settle down at an upside down skiff. "Nicko," she said feeble, "´Do.. do you got anything to do with this? Is it you who found it?". "No, it was the Dragon Boat who found it. She.. she _knew_." Nicko didn't really knew what to say. Septimus, Jenna and Odale with Indigo around her shoulders climbed down of the boat. Silent all of them watched the Dragon Boat put settle, as an swan in it's nest. "Do you know what?" Jannit said after a while, "When I was a child I read about something like this. I was something of a tomboy, and my aunt gave me a book. What was it's name now again... However, it awakend my interest for boats. But this is of course not the boat I read about...". "Of course not." Odale said without blinking, "That was just a fairytale.". Jannit gazed at Odale, and remembered that she talked to Marcia Overstrand's niece and apprentice. "Sorry for asking, but you're Marcia Overstrands..." Jannit said. "Niece." Odale answerd shortly. _"Fun," _she thought, _"Another one who judges me for my past. Very funny."_. Odale, Septimus and Jenna left Nicko and Jannit. Septimus had looked in the dragon-safe bag, and to his relief Spit Fyre was still asleep. He carried the dragon carefully, Odale carried Indigo carefully, and Jenna just walked beside them to the Wizard Tower. They were there within fifteen minutes (thanks to Odale's amazing fiding-skills). Jenna would spend the night in the Wizard Tower and go home to the Palace in the morning. Septimus opend the door to one of the backdoors to the Wizard Tower, and they stepped into the death-quiet Wizard Tower. Odale loved the Wizard Tower at the day when it was cosily noisy, but she loved the silence at the night even _more_. The stairs was set on night speed, which meant that they moved quiet and slowly. They settled down at the staricase, it would take a while to reach the twentieth floor. Jenna rested her head against Septimus's shoulder, and Odale rested hers against Indigo. Indigo's skin was lovley coldish. Finally they reached the twentieth floor. Odale grabbed Septimus's arm. "Look!" Odale whispered. "What does _he _do here?" Septimus mumbled. Jenna had no idéa about what they talked about. They sneaked of the staircase and closer Marcia's solid, purple door. A skinny figure sat on a windost chair outside the door, and slept with hanging head. He (it was a he) wore a brown cloak lined with the sub-wizard's purple lightnings, and at his head he wore an checkered hat of an odd design. "Who's that?" Jenna asked lowly. "Catchpole!" Odale and Septimus hissed as an answer. Catchpole awoke with a judder. "Yes yes?" he mumbled, and saw Septimus. "What do you want, 412?" Catchpole barked. Septimus stood at attention, for one horrable moment he believed that he was back in the Young Armé. Odale elbowed him. "Sep, stop acting like that." she said. When Catchpole realized where he was- and who Septimus was- he flew up from his chair. He was scared to death of Odale, he had met her once when Odale was DomDaniel's apprentice. She had looked staright at him, and said; "You're too long for this mission. Get out. _Now!_". Her attitude had been so bosy and frightening, that it had scared him half to death. "M-miss O-overstrand..." he stammered, "It wasn't my meaning to-to...". "Whatever, Catchpole. Would you _please _let us in?" Odale replied coldly. "No, sorry miss. It's my order not to do that." Cachpole looked very unhappy. "Oh, go and hide somewhere, Catchpole!" Septimus said, "We'll go inside, no matter what you think.". He suffed Catchpole aside, and Odale and Jenna followed him. Odale smirked to herself. _Finally _Septimus begun to have some attitude. Inside Marcia's apartment it was darke. "Why didn't Septimus want to let us in?" Jenna whispered, "Nothing has happend here, or?". Odale and Septimus listened for awile. "I can't **feel** more **darke **than from Marcia's **shadow**, and a little from me." Odale replied, "And I can clearly **hear **Marcia's heartbeat.". "Me too... But I can't **feel **your **darke**, Odale." Septimus said. "That's because it's so little **darke**, Sep." Odale told him. "Wait, I can't hear anything." Jenna said. "No, you can't. It's a wizard thing, Jen." Odale replied, "I suppose that's how Silas found you. It was how DomDaniel's **thing **found me when I was little." the last thing Odale said with a little sorrow in her voice. "But wait... How can you know that it isn't the **shadow's **heartbeat?" Jenna asked. Odale smiled. "**Shadows **hasn't a heart, Jen. They're not alive, and absolutley not human." Odale answerd. Jenna didn't feel much better when she heart that. "It feels... strange in here, guys." she said lowly. "S'okay, Jen." Septimus said. Odale snapped with her fingers and lit a fyre in the fyre-place. "Yeah, a little warmth in here, and it'll be nice." Odale added. Jenna smiled to herself, Odale was pretty nice when you knew her. Then she gazed over the room and noticed the **shadow safe**. Her smiled died away and she shuddered, it was something with that that reminded her of the Observatorium. "Are you freezing, Jen?" Septimus wondered, "Come here. You can get the visiting wizards room.". Jenna thought a little about Marcia and her **shadow **that awaited at the next floor. "No thank you, Septimus, but I stays here beside the fyre." Jenna answerd. "And I stays with you, Jen." Odale said. The **darke **in the Observatorium seemed to has scared Jenna, and Odale sort of understood the feeling. "Then I stays here too." Septimus said.

Later a tall gestalt showed up in the door and saw three childs sleep in a pile infront of the fyre. Smiling Marcia stood there for a while. For the moment she didn't think too much about Odale's a little weird letter. At least they were safe. Of course Marcia had known that all the time, but it was nice to have them home again. Marcia sneaked away. The **shadow **followed her, and gazed evily at the pile- especially at Odale- at the way. It's yellow eyes glimmered unpleasant while it followed Marcia upstairs.


	32. Cha 32: A Wizards Nightmares

Cha 32: A Wizard's Nightmares

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Odale jumped up. She had had the same nightmare as the last time, and she _hated _it. That nightmare... it felt so real. Odale yawned, and stroke Indigo's head. Indigo awoke with a snort, and looked at Odale with it's deep blue eyes. "Should we go up to bed, Ins?" Odale mumbled. Indigo didn't answer. "Sleeping in a real bed would be nice." Odale answerd her own question. Silently she rose up, and sneaked of to her own bedroom. When Odale just had laid herself down in her bed, someone shouted something. Odale couldn't help, but she rose up again. She went out of her bedroom, and into Marcia's bedroom where the shout had came from. "Marcia?" Odale asked, "Are you alright?". Odale gazed over the room, and saw Marcia. Marcia looked very upset, and behind her the **shadow **stood. It grinned mockfully at Odale. "Are you alright, Marcia?" Odale repeated. "I think so." Marcia answerd, "It's just that _stupid _**shadow**, it makes me so...so...". "Upset." Odale folded in, "Yeah, I know.". Odale looked around in the room again, and saw that a vase laid shattered at the floor and Marcia's shoe laid behind it. "It... it talked to me." Marcia said when she saw that Odale looked at the shattered vase, "I got so upset, and I didn't think so much. I threw my shoe at it, and then I hitted that vase." Marcia said. Odale snapped with her fingers, and the vase repaired itself. "It's a nice vase." Odale replied. Marcia smiled. "I know, it was your father who gave it to me. Just before..." Marcia burst into tears. "I don't know what's the matter with me nowadays." she sobbed. "Marcia, it's okay. Everyone cries sometimes." Odale replied. "No, it's not that I cries. It's that... that I'm so... I can't really think, everything is dizzy." Marcia said. "But that's just the **shadow**, Marcia. It will dissapear when the **shadow **does, I promise." Odale answerd. "But if it doesn't..." Marcia begun. "It will, I knows it." Odale said. "You _can't _know that." Marcia replied. "Infact I _can _know that." Odale smirked. Marcia roled her eyes. "Okay, Odale. But go back to bed now, you can't stay up all night just because I got a **shadow**." Marcia said. Now it was Odale's turn to role her eyes. "Sure." she replied, and walked out of Marcia's bedroom. "And Odale..?" Marcia said. "Yes Marcia?" Odale answerd. "Thank you for the vase. That vase means a lot to me." Marcia said. "No problems." Odale mumbled, and closed the door after her. For the second time this time Odale laid herself down, but this time she fell asleep for the last time that night.

"What on earth is that?" Marcia asked, and forgot how eased she had felt last night when Odale, Septimus and Jenna had returned. The **shadow **had kept on terrorize her, even though Odale had kept it away for awhile. It had called her name over and over again; "Marcia... Marcia... Marcia...". But after that Odale had came in to check her Marcia had kept herself as silent as she could, just so that she wouldn't awaken someone. She had absoultley had enough of the **shadow**, and Marcia had deceided that after the breakfast and get the last piece of the **shadowsafe**. "_Septimus_." Marcia said loudly, and Septimus awoke at once. He didn't know where he was at first, but Marcia was kind enough to remind him. "The Wizard Tower," she said gloweringly with her arms crossed, "is a place **magyk**. _Not _menagerie.". "_What?_" Septimus wondered. "Look at my finest blankets- _full _with holes. I don't knows where you did get that giant moth from, but you better goes back with it from wher it comes from." Marcia answerd irritated. "What moth?" Septimus asked and wondered if he had missed something. "What?" Jenna mumbled and showed up from under one of the blanket. "Hello Jenna." Marcia said, "Nice to see that you're home again. In the letter from Odale that that annoying rat gave to me it stood that you was in time to the midsummer visit. Well done.". "Thank you." Jenna mumbled sleepily. Suddenly they heard a lot of strange thuds from the staricase to the next floor in Marcia's apartment. Then a lot of hissing sounds, and at last Odale that shrieked something. "What the-" Marcia muttered, but before anything else happend two fighting reptiles flew into the room, with Odale on their heels. "Indigo, stop that at _once!_" she yelled, but for once her pet didn't listen to her. "I said stop!" Odale shrieked, and grabbed Indigo's tail. "Misearble creature, that you can't..." Odale realized who atched her and blushed, "Hi Marcia...". Marcia glared at her. "And what are you doing, Odale?" Marcia asked coldly. "Nothing." Odale said reflexively. "What is that?" Marcia asked and pointed at Indigo. Odale went even redder. "I can explain..." she begun. "Do that then." Marcia snapped. "Well, this is Indigo." Odale said calmly, "And she's sort of my house-snake. I've got her since she was an egg." the last thing Odale said a little proudly. "And how long has you've had _that creature?_" Marcia asked. Odale frowned. "Since I was... seven, I think." she answerd shily. "_What?! _You've hidden her since... since..." Marcia yelled. "No... I found her in the Observatorium." Odale mumbled. "And what about that?" Marcia spitted out and pointed at Spit Fyre. "He's mine." Septimus said. He didn't dare to look at Marcia. This meant trouble. A lot of trouble. "What have I told both of you? No pets. No parrots, no hamsters, and _absolutley not _any snakes." Marcia glared at Indigo. "But Spit Fyre is not a pet!" Septimus said, who just had lifted up Spit Fyre (who know was as big as a small dog), "He's a **magykal **tool, just as the exercise-rabbits at the yard.". "And Indigo has saved Septimus's, Odale's and my life." Jenna folded in. Odale and Septimus nodded. "That's true." Septimus said. "But if Odale has gotten that snake since she was seven means that it got a lot of **darke**. And a dragon, Septimus, isn't even close to an exercise-rabbit. You got no idéa about how much trouble a dragon..." as to confirm what Marcia just had said, Spit Fyre spazzled out of Septimus's arms and attacked Marcia's shoes. He had spotted the purple pyton skin, and after the drabble with Indigo he was very hostile against snakes. And a nice purple snake would be a great breakfast for the hungry Spit Fyre. What Spit Fyre didn't know was that the 'purple snake' was a pair of shoes that belonged to an very annoyed, and very powerfull wizard who loved her shoes and wasn't very fond of dragon-cubs. A glimmering, green flash settled down at Marcia's shoe and begun to chew. "Ouch!" Marcia howled, and shook her foot. "**Teeth release**!" Marcia howled, but it was too late. Her shoe was already destroyed. She sank down on a chair, and watched her destroyed shoe. Either Septimus, Odale or Jenna dared to say anything. "I suppose, Septimus," Marcia said after a whiles awkward silence, "That that _creature _has **inprinted **you?". "Hm, well yes." Septimus answerd. "Thought so." Marcia sighed heavily, "As if I hadn't enough to worry about. Septimus, do you know how big they gets?". "Sorry." Septimus mumbled. "But it wasn't Septimus's meaning to **hatch **it." Odale said, "It **hatched **from a pebble that Jenna had given to him. Didn't it, Sep?". "Yes." Septimus answerd. "Did it?" Marcia calmed down a little, "A human **hatch**? That's not bad at all. But you will have to keep him in your room, Septimus, I don't wants to have more things destroyed.". And, though Marcia didn't admit it, she wanted the dragon to get close to the **shadow**. If that dragon would be around Septimus it should keep as far from **darke magyk **as possible. "And that snake..." Marcia begun. Odale looked at Marcia with pleading eyes. Marcia remembered that look; her brothers had used the same look at their mother once when they had found. Rodrian and Maximilian had trained it to awake her every morning by run around under her covers. It wasn't a good memory, but now Marcia understood why their mother couldn't stand that look. Marcia sighed. "Okay, it can stay. _But _it stays in your room to, I don't wants to stuble over it" Marcia said. Odale smiled.

Marcia demanded to hear everything about Jenna's and Odale's escaped from Simon. She got pale when Odale told her about the ropes, but then she smiled a little when she heard about the Dragon Boats travel to the Castle. "So now I am her keeper." Marcia mumbled. "That isn't really how it works, Marcia." Odale said. "Rubbish," Marcia answerd, "How could she still be the keeper? She's too far away from the boat, how could she be the keeper? Well, this keeper won't dissapoint her. _Catchpole!_". Catchpole opend the door. "You wanted something, madam Marcia?" he said, and swallowed. "Yes. Take thirteen wizard to boatyard. They'll guard the Dragon Boat with their life. Got it?" Marcia said. "Thirteen wizards... Dragon Boat... Guard with their lifes, got it. Anything more, madam Marcia?" Catchpole said. "I think that that is enough for you to think about at the same time, Catchpole." Marcia replied. "Oh, well. Thank you madam Marcia." Catchpole said. "Taht's it... and Catchpole!" Marcia commanded. Catchpole stopped at the door. "Yes, madam Marcia?" he answerd. "When you're done you are welcome to come back and eat breakfast with us." Marcia said. Catchpole looked stunned. "Oh." he gasped, but then he remembered his education, "Thank you, madam Marcia. Thank you very much.".

Odale skipped the breakfast; she wasn't hungry. Instead she cleaned the Librarey. In Odale's mind it was her turn, even though in _Septimus's _mind it was _his _turn to clean the Librarey. The Librarey was more messy than usual, but that didn't bother Odale. Septimus had went of to the Manuscriptorium to find a book of some sort that Marcia wanted him to get. Odale roled her eyes, as if that couldn't await. But Marcia was definite, and when Marcia was definite she didn't often change her opinion. Especially not now; the **shadow **maded her... well, different. The **shadow**... Odale reconginized it from somewhere, but she didn't knew exactley from where. She settled down, and did an old trick that she sometimes used. If it worked you could discuss, but Odale often figured out things when she putted her finger against her temple. And that was what she did now, she searched through her mind. Now she remembered it, or atleast she knew how she could remember it; her old notebook/diary. Quickly Odale cleaned the rest of the Librarey, and went into her room to find the notebook. It took about a quarter, but atleast she found it. The notebook was an black, leather harcovered book with **darke **symbols (that Odale herself had drawed) on it. Odale licked her dry lips, and opend her old notebook. The text was tiny, igenious and reversed, but Odale could read it;

_''The Day', like I care!_

_That spy, Linda Lane says that she has found the Queenling. Again. Well, I__ don't believes it for a second, but does he listen? No! At last the last time was a little funny, it took weeks for us to discover that it wasn't the Queenling. I'd like to see Overstrands expression if she thought that the Qeenling was dead! A shame to the pure **magyk**, she is. _

_Later_

_I guess that I has to admit it; I were wrong. Infact she has found the Queenling, but we've lost the Queenling. Soon we'll find her anyways, and Overstrand too. I suppose it'll be fun. The Hunter and his team seems to be nerveous when I'm around. Well, I can't blame them. My aura is probably pretty scary. Oh, I can already hear the Queenling and Overstrands screams!_

_Day Two With The Enemy_

_Well, I did it. I've infiltrated the enemy, and they don't suspect anything! I thought that Overstrand would be a little suspicious, but she is as fooled as the others. I'm infact a little dissapointed. However, she is not that bad. Infact sometimes she's a little like me. But Zelda, the witch, has no taste of food, or **magyk**. And I should really recomend the Y.A boy to DomDaniel, he has a great potential. _

Odale begun to feel so stupid, how could she had thought like that? She shuddered, and read the later parts.

_Day: No idéa, about a week after 'The Day'._

_Great, I was forced to lie to the others. I hates to do that, and I'm tired of doing it too. Why couldn't __I be normal? Normal would be nice, infact. Maybe an apprentice to an ordinary wizard or something like that. Or maybe not _now_ when DomDaniel has sent everyone to the Badlands, but before that. However, should I hel Jenna or DomDaniel? That question haunts me all the time, Jenna is nice and so, but DomDaniel raised me and trained me. Think if I dissapears if he dies? If I am sort of linked to him, so if he dies I dies too? Though he can't die, he got the **twofaced ring**, but I thinks you get the point. _

_Still no idéa of wich day it is, really._

_Honestly, boy 412 has great potential. I woul've guessed that he is a seventh sonif her werent't from the Y.A. Who would've putted a senth son into the Y.A, and not give the child to DomDaniel? That would be such a waste... You should've seen him! It was his first try, and he got **invisible **at once! And that is amazing! I wish Septimus were like that._

Odale deceided to stop reading; it just maded her upset. Instead she flipped up to the part of the notebook where her notes about people were. And there the name was; under 'DomDaniel's ex and- current apprentices'. How could she be so stupid that she didn't remembered that? Ellis Crackle, DomDaniel's first apprentice. Odale remembered that DomDaniel once had told her that he got tired of Ellis Crackle. Then he had killed Ellis and taken his soul and maded him to an **shadow**. Odale shudddered, she could have ended up the same way herself. Odale decided to talk to Alther about Marcia's **shadow**, he was the first person **(A/N *cough*ghost*cough*)** that she thought could be to some help.


	33. Cha 33: Placement

**(A/N Another short chapter, and it isn't the best either... Hope you like it!)**

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Chapter 33: **Placement**

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But Odale never got out of the apartment. At the way out she collided with Septimus, Beetle and Jenna, who looked at the mess in Marcia's livingroom. "Odale! Are you here? What have happend?" Septimus exclaimed. Odale (who had been so focused at her old notebook that she hadn't heard when Spit Fyre ran around in Marcias living room) swore. "The **shadowsafe**!" she moaned, "Marcia is going to kill me!". "But it's not your fault, Ods. If it is someone's, it's my fault. Or maybe Spit Fyre, but I think that Marcia counts me and Spit Fyre as one when it's about this mess." Septimus replied. "What is it for a thing that lays with the **shadow**-thing parts? It looks like bones..." Beetle folded in. Odale motioned to the others to don't go close the mess, and settled down beside it. Carefully she picked up one of the bone-looking things. She gazed from the pile of bones and **shadow-safe **pieces to the bone she held in her hand. After a few seconds she gasped and dropped the bone. "Oh no. _No._" she whispered. "Odale, what is it?" Septimus wondered anxiousley. "I'm n-not sure, but I... I thinks that it is a **placement**. I just can't understand how..." Odale stammered. "Who's dragon is it?" a familar voice asked. "It's mine, Alther." Septimus said and sighed. "How did you succé with that?" Alther asked, "However; well done. That Marcia letted you have a dragon is a _miracle_.". "It's not quite time for discussing pets right now." Odale snapped. "You seems a bit upset, Odale. What is it?" Alther asked. "This." Odale held up a bone, "I think that it's a **placement**."."A **placement**, you said, Odale?" Alther asked. "Yes, a **placement**. And a deadly one, it is human bones." Odale said, and swallowed. Her throat was dry and she felt sick. Alther widend his eyes. "_Human _bones? How complete is it?" he wondered. "I don't know." Odale replied, "But I suppose that we could count them. There's twohundred and six bones in a human body.". "How do you know how many bones it is in a human body, Ods?" Septimus asked. Odale shuddered. "Some things I can't tell you, Sep." she said, and everyone went quiet. "What _is _a **placement**, exactley?" Beetle asked, and Jenna nodded. "I'm glad that you asked, Beetle. Becuase I don't knows it either." Jenna said. "A **placement **is a very **darke **trick," Alther said (Odale would love to answerd, but she was silent in chock), "A **placement **is a way to take yourself to a place where you can't get to in another way. THe wizard- it is mostly wizard who's working with stuff like this. It's too dangerous- uses to in a insidiousley way make sure that the bones of an animal get carried over the threshold to the place where they wants to get into. The person you wants to **affect **most carry the pieces into the house freely; you can't just throw the pieces through a window. But a **personal placement**- like this seems to be- is one of the most horrable **darke **tricks that exists. If the **placement **only touches the **ogjective **once the **objective **dies. And after that the **objective **is foreced to spend one year and a day in **chaos**. When I got turned into a ghost I was forced to stay in that horrable place for one year and a day- but staying in **chaos **that long... it has to be horrable.". Odale and Septimus felt sick, and Odale was deadly pale. "Marcia is the **objective**, isn't she, Alther?" Septimus whispered. "I am afraid so." Alther answerd, "I just can't understand how Weasal could do that...". "Do what, Alther?". The purple door opend, and to everyons shock Marcia came into the room and after her the **shadow **sneaked. Marcia carried something that looked like a huge hatbox. "Oh!" she yelled, "That _horrable _dragon! I can't believe it's true!". "Marcia." Alther said calmly, "You got a **placement **in here. We got to know what you got in the box.". "What are you talking about, Alther? Septimus, you takes that animal to the yard. He's going out of the house _now!_" Marcia said, but either Odale or Septimus cared. They flew up and begun to push Marcia out of the door. "Marcia, you got to get out! _NOW!_" Odale yelled. "Septimus, Odale, what are you doing?" Marcia asked, and shoved them away from herself. Septimus stopped, but Odale continude to push Marcia. With one violent push Odale maked Marcia drop the last piece of the **shadowsafe**. Everyone stared shocked at the scull who roled out of the rests of the last part- and reunited with the rests of it's sceleton. The **placement **was **complete**.


	34. Cha 34: Sweet Sacrifice

Poem:

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_The one who raise me up to the one I am, without him I even shouldn't be breathing is coming aprt right before my eyes. Am I depending on his breathing, or can I stand alone? Who should I choose, the enemy or the family? He sais; "I will return, with venegeance in thoughts. I will reach out for your weakness, and cut you down. You'll need me beside, I've always been the Tower and you are the flower who tries to bloom in the snow."._

* * *

Chapter 34: Sweet Sacrifice

* * *

The sceleton rose up, easily swaying as if it tried to find it's balance- and then it begun to stagger against Marcia. Odale was as pale as the silver-bracelet around her wrist, but she was determined. "Marcia, stay _there_." she commanded. "Odale you wouldn't dare to-" Marcia begun, and took a step back over a tattered pillow. "I do!" Odale answerd. "Do what?" Septimus asked nerveousley, and Marcia snapped with her fingers and **blocked **the front door. "**Switch**, I think." Alther said. "**Switch**?" Septimus wondered. "Yes, it's one of two ways to get rid of a **placement**. Or when you **switches **you don't get rid of the **placement**, but it's another's problem. The one who has **taken over **the **placement's **problem, exactley." Alther replied. "But Odale won't do that." Marcia said. "I _will_." Odale snapped, "And you can't stop me.". Marcia went silent, and took a step back. What Odale said was true, Marcia couldn't stop her from to **switch** the **placement**. "But Odale, please..." Marcia said. "Marcia, the Castle needs you." Odale replied and swallowed, "No one needs me...". Then Odale begun to mumble something. Marcia knew better than to stop her now, and took another step back. Then everyone in the room saw how a **darke **flash shoot out from Marcia, and into Odale. Odale gasped when the coldness collided with her, but she recovered quickly. The sceleton turned around, and begun to walk against Odale. Odale nextuntil could see that it smirked mockfully at her. She knew who it was, it was the remains of her old master. "**Hand on heart...**" she begun, but Marcia cut her of. "Odale, you don't even knows who it is!" Marcia exclaimed. "I do." Odale answerd, "It's DomDaniel.". The sceleton seemed to smirk even bigger. "Marca, let me do this. _Please!_" Odale continude, "**Hand on heart, eye to eye, I you identify as DomDaniel**!" Odale shouted. A horrable scream filld the room, and everyone was convinced that it was Odale. Jenna held her hands ocer her ears, and Beetle pressed a pillow against his head. But Septimus and Marcia listened. Septimus listened because it was the most **magykal **happening he ever had experienced, and he wanted to be a par of it. Marcia listend because she both wanted and didn't want to hear it. Her own niece had sacrificed her life for Marcia, and Marcia felt so bad for it. How could she letted her do that? Then a thick, **darke **fog surrounded Odale and her old master, and either Marcia or Septimus could see them. Marcia yelped and tried to leap into the fog, but Alther stopped her. "No, Marcia, the only thing you really can do for Odale right now is to prepare yourself and pray for her." he said. Marcia swallowed, but she understood that Alther was right. Septimus couldn't stand the idéa to just stand and watch Odale dissapear for the second time, and rushed into the fog before anyone could stop him. "No!" Marcia shouted, but she couldn't get thorough the fog, it was hard as stone and smooth as glass. She gave the 'wall' a hard kick, but that didn't matter. It was as hard as before. Inside the fog it was unatrual quiet and everything around him moved slowly, as if they were underwater. Septimus looked at Odale and the sceleton, but the sceleton wasn't a sceleton anymore. It was DomDaniel himself, who stood with a hand outstreched against Odale. Septimus knew that Odale had seen him, because she rose a hand to sign to him to go away. And she mouthed something, probably Septimus's name. Why hadn't the **indetification **worked? Septimus looked at Odale, and soon he understood why. Odale was inferior. When Odale had **switched **the **placement**, Odale just hadn't **taken over **the **placement**, but also Marcia's **shadow**. The **shadow** stood behind Odale with it's hands resting at Odale's shoulders. And the **shadow **wasn't anymore just that **darke **creature Septimus had seen following Marcia the entire year; now it was a young man with shining yellow eyes. He smirked at Septimus and bared his long, pointy theeths. Septimus walked towards Ellis Crackle (a.k.a the **shadow**) to push him away from Odale. Ellis raised one of his hands to push away _Septimus_, and Septimus knew that it was wizard verseus wizard. So Septimus raised his hand to, and met Ellis's. He **transfixed **the very unhappy Ellis Crackle, and suddenly Marcia, Alther, Jenna and Beetle saw Ellis Crackle come flying out of the compact **darke **that surrounded Odale, Septimus and DomDaniel. Desperatley Ellis whirled around to find a way out, and Alther didn't want anything more than that Ellis would leave Marcia and Odale alone, so he did a thing that he didn't use to- he **caused **something to happen and opend a window. Ellis flew out of the window and dissolved into the clear summer-air. The light surprised Jenna- she was so used to the darke in the apartment. After a few seconds Jenna could see a figure in silhoutte standing at a wooden platform. The figure was Simon Heap. Alther **caused **the window to close itself, but Simon opend the window and leaped into the room. Jenna took a step back, and Beetle laid an protecting arm over her. But this time Simon wasn't intrested of Jenna, instead his focus was at the sceleton. When Ellis had dissolved, also the fog had begun to dissapear and revealed three figures; one of them still tried to reach Odale's forehead, but he melted. Odale took a step back, and grabbed Septimus's arm. Simon rushed to the more and more shapeles figure. "I am here, master!" he shouted, "Your new apprentice is here!". Simon was so keen to claim the place as DomDaniel's apprentice that he didn't notice that Marcia was alive, which prooved that something had went horrably (or not, in everyone else's opinion) wrong with the **placement**. But when the last pieces of the **darke **fog all the colours in his face dissapeard and a horrified expression spread out over his face. DomDaniel didn't look alright. Infact he looked worse than Simon ever had seen him. "Y-your new a-apprentice is h-here, master." Simon stammered and suddenly he noticed that Septimus, Marcia and Odale was infront of him. Marcia hugged Odale tightly, and at the same time she had an hand on Septimus's shoulder. All three of them was pale and watched the melting rests of DomDaniel with the same expression of relief and disgust. Odale's **identification **had finally worked. Then Simon understood that the situation was _really _bad for him, infact it couldn't been worse. A hollow laughter filled the room. "You are not my apprentice, you fool! I tells you to get rid of the Queenling, and what happends? My ex-apprentice comes, saves her and _interferes in my sceleton_. Though she did a better work than you did- she maked sure that Overstrand fetched the pieces herself... herself... herself..." DomDaniel's voice died away. "You deceitful bastard!" Simon howled, "After everything I did you and your awful sceleton! You promised!". As a child kicking a pile of dry leafes Simon kicked the black liquid that was everything that was left of the **necromancer**. "Don't do that!" Marcia shouted, "Leave _now_, Simon!". "Or do I have to escort you?" Odale added. Simon backed. "Don't be worried, I'll leave. I don't want to stay here with all this _traitors._" Simon went quiet and stared furiousley at Septimus and Odale, "But you won't get rid of me that easy. I got promised the place as apprentice, and I will have it. I _will_." and with that Simon opend a window and threw himslef out of it. When the **flyte charm **begun to work Simon knew that there was only one thing left for him; revange.

The two silver bars that **blocked **Marcia's front-door slid up with a _plonk_ and then the huge, purple door was **unblocked**. Then everyone inside there could hear that someone out there punded at the door. "Marcia Overstrand!" someone yelled, "You complete idiot! Open the damn door!". Then they heard that someone kicked the door. Marcia moaned, only one person would ever dare to talk to her in that tune.

* * *

_But now, after all do I need him beside? Will he really reach out for my weaknesse? Cut me down? Was he ever the Tower, or was he the flower that tried to bloom in the snow? He was the flower who tried to bloom in the snow, the danger and the power, the scale without soul._

* * *

**(A/N well, that was the chapter! There's still a few chapters left, and so. Did you read the poem? And if you did, did you like it? Is this chapter worth a review?)**


	35. Cha 35: Cashmére Overstrand

**(A/N Well, Odale wents a little crazy, but she has had a though time after all! And _yes _I know, the chapter is a little cheesy (thanks a lot, Jojo...) **

* * *

Chapter 35: Cashmére Overstrand.

* * *

"Marcia Overstrand!" Cashmére shouted with her strange dialect, "How _dare _you not to let me in to my own daughter?".

"Yeah, that's the first thing I thinks about when _my niece _is about to die." Marcia snapped.

"How dare you!" Cashmére gasped. Marcia roled her eyes.

"I dares a lot, _Cassie_." Marcia said coldly, "You maybe haven't noticed that I am the ExtraOrdinary Wizard.".

"Oh, am I expected to bow?" Cashmére replied ironically. Odale moved her feet across the floor.

"Won't I get a hug?" Cashmére turned to Odale, and Odale blushed.

"I'm sorry, but I don't really knows who you are..." Odale begun, but Cashmére cut her of.

"Haven't Septimus told you?" Cashmére asked and glanced at Septimus, "I thought that he had told you... And Marcia.". Now it was Septimus's turn to blush. Odale and Marcia stared at him.

"Septimus..." they said with one mouth, "_What _is she talking about.".

Septimus swallowed. "Well, I guess that I forgot to tell you that I invited Odale's mum..." Septimus begun, "But it happend so much at once. I thought that I had more time...". Marcia looked at Septimus with an very dissapointed expression.

"Septimus, I thought that you knew better than to invite unknown people." she said, "And I _absolutley _thought that you knew better than invite people _like her_.". Marcia nodded at Cashmére.

"What do you mean with _people like her_, _Mar?_" Cashmére snapped.

"Exactley what I said, _Cassie_." Marcia snapped back. The two womans glared at eachother, and Odale tried to make herself as small as possible.

"I am here to fetch my daughter, and you can't stop me." Cashmére said, after they had glared at eachother for a while.

"You _won't_, Cashmére, and I _can absolutley _stop you. She's my apprentice. And niece." Marcia hissed. Cashmére snorted.

"If you think that you can stop me, Marcia Overstrand, you are terrably wrong." she said coldly.

"Just because your father..." Marcia begun, but Cashmére cut her of.

"Don't drag my father into this!" Cashmére howled.

"I drag whoever I wants into this, and Odale _stays right here, _where she belongs!" Marcia answerd.

"Ladies, why don't you Odale herself decide?" Alther folded in. Odale swallowed, this was a question she _absolutley _didn't want to answer.

"I think that that sounds like an _great _idéa." Cashmére said and turned to Odale, "What do _you _want, darling?". Odale hated the way Cashmére talked to Marcia, and she hated the way Cashmére called her darling. But Cashmére was her own mother, and Odale didn't want to hurt her at the same time. Marcia looked at Odale with pleading eyes.

"I...I..." Odale stammered, but then she couldn't take more. She ran away, so fast that no one could stop her. Odale whizzed down to the sixth floor and opend the door. She hadn't been there since she had got turned into a wolf, but the thought of the sixth floor comforted her a little. There she could be alone there and think for a while, no one would go in there if they absolutley didn't have to. Odale opend the door to a room that she just had noticed, why hadn't she noticed it before? It wasn't in the restricted section, at least... The room was cold, but Odale didn't mind. She was used to coldness, and the whole floor was ice-cold. Odale looked around, the room was wet, darke and (as I said before) cold. And Odale loved it. The walls seemed to be painted in a darke brown, almost black colour and the floor seemed to be made of jade. Odale settled down in a corner and leaned back against the wall, and breathed in the air. The **darke **in the air filled her lungs and it calmed her down. She felt how it spread through her veins, it was so cold that is almost felt warm. Odale shuddered with pleasure, and closed her eyes.

"Odale?" Marcia's voice interupted the **darke**, "_What _do you think you're doing here?!". Odale flew up at her feet.

"Sorry." she mumbled and blushed.

"This is certainly _not _a place you should be in, Odale. Don't you understand that?" Marcia said, "Look at your eyes!". Odales eyes had turned black with emerald-green flashes in them. That sort of frightened Marcia most.

"I _can't _look at my eyes, Marcia, I thought that you knew that Marcia." Odale snapped, she felt annoyed and had headache.

"Odale, go out of here _now_." Marcia replied. Odale leaned against the wall.

"Sais who?" she hissed.

"Odale, please..." Marcia said, Odale had never acted like this close to her before.

"_Please..._" Odale immitated mockfully.

"Odale, get out of there _now_, before I _makes _you." Marcia replied calmly. Odale snorted, but did as Marcia said. The headache faded a little, but she was still annoyed.

"And Odale, your mother wants to meet you, maybe you should give her a chance. She's awaiting outside the door." Marcia continude. Odale roled her eyes.

"Why should I give her a chance? What has she ever done to _me?_ And why is she outside the door?" Odale said in a teasing tune.

"She is your mother, Odale, that is enough reasons to give her a chance. And she's outside the door because I wants to **clean** and **repair **the apartment after the... hm, accident." Marcia answerd, she begun to feel annoyed over the new Odale. Infact, Odale reminded her _a lot _of a mix of Cashmére, Rodrian and Maximilian. And maybe, though Marcia didn't want to admit it, a **necromancer**. Odale pursed her lip.

"Okay." she snapped.

"You should really change your tune." Marcia said. Odale snorted.

"Why do _you _care? I bet the only reason that you has me as an apprentice is that I reminds you of your _precious _brother." Odale spitted out. She had denyed that thought for a while now, but suddenly it felt so realistic. Which reason had Marcia to have her as apprentice, really?

"That's not true!" Marcia answerd, "Odale, where have you gotten that from?".

"Because no one cares about _me! _Why would they? I am horrable." Odale cried out and burst into tears. Marcia looked at the girl, these days had stressed her up. Odale had huge, darke shadows under the eyes, which had turned black with emerald-flashes in them.

"I cares about you, Odale. I always will, whatever you doing, wherever you are. " Marcia said and hugged Odale tightly, "But right now your behaviour aren't impressing me a lot.".

"Why did you want me as an apprentice, anyways?" Odale sobbed.

"Because you are talented, cares about **magyk **and has a great potential." Marcia answerd, "Just as Septimus.".

"You don't really wants me to give my mother a chance, do you?" Odale wondered. Marcia sighed.

"I don't like your mother very much Odale, but I want you to give her chance. You only gets one mother, and only one first chance to do a first impression." Marcia replied.

"If you wants me to give her a chance, I will." Odale said. Marcia smiled.

"That's a good idéa." she said, "But maybe you can wait _a little_, because there's so much work to do. I am sorry, Odale.".

"No, that's okay. I think I need to work, ayways." Odale answerd.

"Great." Marcia said, "Are you ready?".

"Ready for what?" Odale asked.

"For your first confrontation with your mother." Marcia replied.

"Uh oh." Odale sighed, "But Marcia..?".

"Yes?"

"Promise me to not _always _care about me, okay?"

"Why?" Marcia asked.

"Because." Odale said, and thought about her dream.

"If you sais so..." Marcia muttered.

* * *

"Odale, you _can't _run away from me when I'm talking to you!" Cashmére said loudly to Odale, who stood infront of her. Odale looked down, and blushed easily.

"Cashmére, she has had a though time..." Marcia, who had decided to be more resonable against Cashmére, said.

"Shut up, Marcia!" Cashmére snapped, "Odale is my daughter, and I says what I want to her.". Odale had really begun to hate Cashmére, in Odale's opinion Cashmére did treat Marcia horrably. Septimus stood in a corner and regretted that he ever had invited Cashmére to the apartment.

"And I wouldn't give to much for your maternal instinct Marcia, don't you see how she behaves? My poor little girl..." Cashmére said. That was the last thing.

"I don't give much for _your _maternal instincts, you left me in the snow!" Odale hissed, "Marcia didn't even knew that I was alive until about a year ago! And _where _were _you_ when I got turned into a wolf?".

"Odale, don't be so unmannerly!" Marcia said, "Your mother didn't knew that you were alive either.". Marcia seemed to defend Cashmére, but secretly she was touched about that Odale defended her.

"Don't tell my daughter how to behave!" Cashmére hissed to Marcia.

"Well, you tells me how to behave..." Odale said. Cashmére sighed.

"You're as stubborn as your father." she muttered, "If that's good or a bad thing I can't decide.".

"If you're just going to be disrespecting against Odale, you can aswell return to were you came from." Marcia said coldly.

"I've already told you that I _will _take Odale with me, or didn't you listen as usual?" Cashmére replied.

"Take me with you? _No!_" Odale grabbed Marcia's arm, "I won't follow you!".

"I am your mother," Cashmére said, "You will follow me.".

"No! Never!" Odale yelled.

"Marcia, she's my daughter! Please let me..." Cashmére begun and took a step closer Odale, "Let me take care of my own daughter.".

"No, Marcia! Please don't let her! _Please!_" Odale begged, it was panic in her voice.

"Odale, you're _my _daughter, don't forget that." Cashmére said, and stepped even closer Odale. Odale shrugged back when Cashmére streched out an hand for her.

"You can't mean that you wants to stay _here_, with _her_." Cashmére snapped to Odale.

"Yes, I do!" Odale snapped back, "Marcia is my mentor, and she has take care of me thousand times better than you've ever done!".

"How dare you?!" Cashmére howled, "I _gave birth to you!_".

"And then you left me in the snow!" Odale hissed.

"That was the only thing I could do!" Cashmére replied, "Please Odale, let's be friends. I could rent a room in the Ramblings, you and me, mother and daughter. That would be pretty nice, huh?".

"No!" Odale cried out, and held Marcia's arm even harder, "No!".

"Odale, she _is _your mother..." Marcia said.

"Don't let me go! Please, don't let me go..." Odale replied.

"But..."

"You promised!"

"Odale, I promised to always _care about_ you, and I will. But Cashmére is your mother..." Marcia said.

"Oh, for heavens sake, Odale! Yes, I left you in the snow, but that was becuase I couldn't take care of you _then_. It would be so much easier for _you _to die there, instead of starving." Cashmére folded in.

"But _why?_" Odale asked. Cashmére sighed irritated.

"Didn't I tell you that? It was just because I didn't want you to starve, so instead I left you there. Joseph, your father, had just died and I had no money." Cashmére answerd. The three females went silent.

"How did he die?" Odale croaked.

"Huh?"

"How did he die, my father?" Odale asked.

"That is avery long story..." Cashmére said.

"Is it? Or do you just don't want to tell me?" Odale replied. Cashmére smirked.

"Maybe a little of both." she answerd. A loud _plonk _announced that the **clean- and repairing **of Marcia's apartment was finished.

What about we talks a little more about our family over a cup of tea?" Marcia asked.

"I think that that sounds like an great idéa." Cashmére replied, a little coldish.

* * *

**(A/N worth a review?)**


	36. Cha 36: First Flyte

Chapter 36: First Flyte

* * *

But the tea had to wait. When Marcia, Cashmére, Odale, Septimus and Alther (Beetle had gone to the Manuscriptorium, and Jenna had went to the Palace) entered the apartment the results of the **cleaning**- **and repairing **seemd to have worked. The apartment was almost spot lest, and no one could sense **darknesse **that wasn't a part of Odale. Even Marcia seemed to be satisfied- until she saw Spit Fyre (who they had left in the apartment so that the **spell **would take care of the **darknesse **that had hitted him). Spit Fyre laid at Marcia's favourite carpet, and at the carpet there also laid a thin layer of ligt-green dun.

"Not at my carpet! _Miserable _creature!" Marcia exclaimed, and almost forgot how happy she had been when Septimus had handed her _Obliteration of the **darknesse**, _the book that she hadn't seen since DomDaniel had captured her last year. Odale had tried to claim it herself when Marcia was in Dungeon Number One, but one of the Guards had understood the value of the book and given it to DomDaniel instead.

"We have to get him out at the launch pad!" Odale said when Spit Fyre stretched out his wings for the first (but not his last) time. Both Odale and Marcia knew enough about dragons to know that Spit Fyre right then wanted to begin his **first flyte**, and that there was no way to stop him.

"What launch pad?" Septimus and Cashmére asked with one mouth.

"Oh, the old one outside the window there." Marcia answerd, and gestured against the biggest window in the room that was the one that Alther had **caused **to open earlier that day. At last Septimus figured out that that was why there was a dragon sculpted above the window.

"Oh!" Septimus said.

"Don't worry, Sep, it works well." Odale replied.

"Even though it gives idiots as Simon Heap a place to land at." Marcia added. With the help from a packet of crackers that Odale (to everyones surpries) picked out from one of her pockets) Septimus and Odale managed to get Spit Fyre out at the lauch pad. The crackers were soft and wet, but that didn't seem to bother Spit Fyre at all. He sat satisfied at the wooden platfrom and chewed the crackers, while it inside the Wizard Tower an argument were going on.

"Do you hear me, Septimus?" Marcia said, "I don't want you to do anything complicated at your **first flyte**, just fly a turn around the Wizard Tower. Do you want a navigator?"

"A w-what?" Septimus asked, and looked out. His legs turned into jelly as he looked down to the ground.

"Draxx, rule 16b, subdivision viii declares that: _A navigator can only be used if he or she has been involved in a_ **first flyte**. If you want an navigator you better decide _now_." Marcia replied.'

"Oh." Septimus said, "Hm, Odale would you like to be the navigator?". Odale nodded.

"Sure." Odale answerd.

"Are you really sure?" Septimus asked. Odale crossed her arms.

"If I wouldn't want to I wouldn't have said yes, would I?" she replied.

"Hm, well... no." Septimus said. Out at the launching pad Spit Fyre just had eaten the crackers. And the package too. He sniffed in the evening air, and felt that jolt that all dragons feel at their **first flyte**.

"I think we better, well, jumps on now, Sep." Odale said, "We don't want the Castle to be haunted by a owner-less dragon in years from now?". Septimus forced himself to go out of the window and onto the launcing pad.

"You can do it, Sep." Odale muttered to him, "You climbed a tall, tall tree. You flew a boat, c'mon! _I _know you can, do you?". Septimus had no idéa about how, but somehow he a few seconds later sat at Spit Fyres neck in a hollow a bit infront of Spit Fyres shoulders. Odale was behind him, though she hadn't it as comfortable. But she didn't complain.

"Well." Alther soared beside them, "I want to tell you three things. At first; he will fall as a rock, but that will only last for a few seconds. After that he will begin to fly. A **first flyte** alway begins like that. The second thing is the governance- if you watns to turn to the right kick his right side, and if you watns to turn to the left kick at his left side. Two kicks at his left for down, and at his right for up. Or you could aslo tell him- he's a smart dragon, and will understand. And the last thing is that I'm with you, everything will work perfectly fine.". Septimus nodded, he wanted everything to get over quickly. Marcia and Cashmére watched them anxiousley from the window.

"Are you ready?" Marcia asked.

"Yes!" Septimus answerd.

"Get away!" Marcia shouted, "Get away, go on Cashmére _and help me for once!_". Together Marcia and Cashmére shuffed at the dragon, but that didn't seem to work very much- Spit Fyre was where he was.

"Oh for heavens sake!" Marcia hissed and pushed the dragon, "_Get away, _you slocuh!". As a swimmer who regrets their decision to climb up to the highest trampoline, Spit Fyre carefully looked down and winced back with an hesitating expression.

"Listen up, you stupid dragon, don't think that you can come crawling back here because you _certainley can't!_" Marcia yelled, "And you better gets flying!". Together with Cashmére Marcia lifted out the dragons tail to the launching pad. Spit Fyres hesitating expression turned into a panicking expression. Marcia maybe wasn't a _real _dragonmum, but she had some of a dragonmums capacities, and Spit Fyre couldn't really see or hear any difference.

"Do as you are told and _fly!_" Marcia screamed, and closed the window. Spit Fyre did as he was told, and jumped down. He fell as a rock, down to the niteenth, eighteenth and seventeenth floor. They passed the sixteenth, fifteenth and fourteenth floor. At the thirteenth floor Spit Fyre understood what he should do, and how he should do it. And at the twelfth floor Spit Fyre spread out his wings, and flew in a bow back up to the twentieth floor. Marcia, who was very pale, looked out of the window and smiled wide when she saw them, and even Cashmére smiled a little.

"Thank heaven." Alther, who almost was invisivle in horror, muttered, "Are you alright?". Septimus nodded, but Odale just clutched onto the back of Septimus's tunic and didn't say much.

"One turn around the Tower, and then you lands him at the yard." Alther shouted. Septimus shook his head. Far away he saw an black, flapping figure that was Simon Heap.

"Get him, Spit Fyre! Go on!" Septimus called, and the dragon followed his orders.


	37. Cha 37: Simon's Last Flyte

Chapter 37: Simon's Last Flyte

* * *

Simon had some trouble with the **flyte charm**. At first, it refused to follow his orders and was almost impossible to use. He dearly wanted to ge back to Fox and demand that he should fix that, but Simon didn't dare to do that right then. Infact, he would probably never dare to do that. Not if Odale would be around. He shuddered a little when he thought about that little girl who was strong enough to **switch **a **placement **_and _a **shadow**, **identify **the **placement **and survive. That was, even though Simon hated to admit it, pretty impressive.

"Hey, come down here, coward!" a familiar voice shouted, and Simon looked down. There that idiot called Rupert Gringe, who was Lucy's brother, stood. With Simon's brother Nicko and that boat-mutant that was half dragon, half boat. This time they wouldn't get away, Simon thought. He picked out an **thunder flash**, and aimed at Rupert and the Dragon Boat. Whatever if his brother would get hitted, right then Simon didn't care. But Nicko and Rupert jumped down in the water. Well, at least he hitted that stupid boat. With a surprising speed three of the ordinary wizards that Marcia had sent to the Dragon Boat to guard it (from the beginning it had been ten, but Jannit had sent away sevne of them, mostly because they were pretty annoying) also jumped into the water. Down in a boat Jannit watched the Dragon Boat explode, and Jannit cursed. _No one_ attacked boats in _her _boat yard. Jannit grabbed the closests thing that she could- which happend to be a hammer- and threw that against Simon. Jannit had a strong arm, and it almost hitted Simon and instead a navigator at a certain dragon out on it's **first flyte **had to wipe it away. Simon had just noticed Spit Fyre. He barely didn't believe what he saw. Wasn't it that annoying little upstart to apprentice and that **darke **Overstrand-girl? And exactley _what _were they doing on a _dragon?_ Simon cursed, how did they _do? _But Simon's success with the Dragon Boat had maded him arrogant, and though he didn't had any **thunder flashes **left (Merrin was totally worthless at making new ones), that he had a broken **flyte charm **to struggle with and the fact that Odale infact scared him a little, Simon felt invincible. It was easy wasn't it? He just had to push them down, and then- goodbye apprentice-upstartling and little-miss-Overstrand-know-it-all. Almost to easy. Simon threw himself through the air, and aimed at Septimus. But Odale noticed him.

"Down, Sep!" Odale yelled. _"Sep?" _Simon thought, _"What a silly nickname!"_. Septimus kicked two times at Spit Fyres left side, and the dragon sank quickly into a forest of pointy masts.

"Turn to the right!" Odale commanded, "And then go down at the bridge!". Septimus and Spit Fyre followed the orders. Simon didn't get frightened, instead he aimed at Septimus. Too late he noticed that the **flyte charm **had gotten a alarmating preponderance to the right, and instead of pushing Septimus down Simon hitted Spit Fyre's nose. A dragons nose is sensitive, and especially a young dragons', and Spit Fyre didn't appretiate that Simon flew straight into it. Instinctively Spit Fyre opend his mouth to take a bite of Simon, but instead he sneezed. A gob of fresh, corrosive dragon saliva hitted Simons' stomach and Simon blew backwards. The **flyte charm **flew out from Simon's pocket, and down into a tool box that Jannit had used earlier. Simon crashed. Without thinking Septimus shouted _his _first dragon-order;

"Save him!". Spit Fyre did has his owner commanded, and Spit Fyre knew exactley what to do. He caught Simon precicely before he hitted the ground, and then Spit Fyre himself landed at the bridge with a thud and his navigator fell of. But quickly she jumped up at her feet.

"What _on earth _are you doing, Septimus!" Odale yelled, and took a step away from Simon. Septimus didn't answer. He just stared at his brother.

"He's... he's not _dead_, is he?" Jannit asked. Simon laid pale at the bridge, his tunic was filled with holes. His curly Heap-hair was matted with sweat and his eyes were closed. Odale **listened**, and sighed. And she didn't sigh in relief.

"He's alive." Odale answerd, as if it was a crime of Simon to be alive. Which it surely, in Odale's opinion, was. Slowly, Simon's eyes begun to open and he moaned. Odale swore loudly.

"You over there!" she shouted, and meant three dripping wet ordinary wizards, "Get him into the jail.". The ordinary wizards did as Odale said, and Jannit helped them to lift Simon into the jail. Septimus stroke Spit Fyres bruised nose. Odale kicked a pebble.

"Why did you do like that?" she asked Septimus in a mournful tune.

"Did what?" Septimus asked, he didn't understand what Odale was talking about.

"Saved him, I mean." Odale replied. Septimus sighed.

"I don't know." Septimus said, "But he _is _after all my brother.".

"Sometimes, Sep," Odale muttered, "you're _too _noble. I would never save him.". Septimus laughed.

"I think you would, if you were in my situation." he answerd. Odale smirked.

"And now you _sounds exactley _like Marcia. _'I think you would understand if you were in my situation...'_." Odale sighed.

"You won't move to her, will you?" Septimus suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"Will you begin to live with your mother, or will you stay?"

"Live _with her?_ Are you insane!? No, I'll stay." Odale pursed her lips, "If I gets my will through, at least...".

"Oh, okay." Septimus answerd, "But why don't you like your mother? I think that she's pretty nice.". Odale snorted.

"Yeah, it's _really nice_ to leave your own child in the snow to die." Odale snapped.

"She gave you that bracelet..." Septimus tried. Odale had totally forgotten the bracelet. She gazed at it. The bracelet looked like it had gotten forged around her wrist, and Odale had to admit that it was sort of beutiful. She mentally shook her head.

"A bracelet? Oh, that compenstaes a _ten year long apprentice ship to DomDaniel!_" Odale hissed, thoug she knew it wasn't fair. Septimus hadn't anything to do with that, Odale had no need to be rude against him.

"Hey, Sep." Odale said in a much more friendly tune, "I don't want to be angry at you. Can't we just forget this, and go home instead? I'm really tired.".

"Why not?" Septimus muttered.


	38. Cha 38: The Jail

Chapter 38: The Jail

* * *

In the jail at Jannit Maartens boat-yard Simon Heap opend his eyes. He moaned, and wondered where he was. At first, he was close to panick; Simon was almost sure that he was in Dungeon Number One (where, if Odale would have deceided, he probably would've been). But then Simon realized that he wasn't there, Simon could see a little light coming out from a tiny window high above him. He sighed in relief. Dungeon Number One was **sealed **with **darkness****e**, and though this jail smelled pretty bad, Dungeon Number One smelled a thousand times worse. Simon shudderd, and remembered the time when the Supreme Custodian (long story) had showed him the Dungeon. It was a nasty place. Simon rose up and moaned, how had he gotten there? He rubbed his forehead, and suddenly he remembered- a dragon, the annoying kids called apprentice's, and a **thunder flash**... Simon moaned again, he was a total failure. No wonder that no one wanted him as apprentice, he was an complete _idiot_. Wait... _No_, he wasn't. Everyone else was, but not he, Simon Heap. Simon begun to walk back and forht in the jail, and tried to find a way out. He pushed at the door, but nothing happend. Or well, someone out there whispered frightened;

"He's trying to get _out!_"

"What shall we do now?"

"Is he _very _dangerous?"

"Oh, don't be such a wimp, Brian!"

"Stop fighting! The Extra Ordiary Wizard will soon arrive, at least her apprentice said that she would fetch her."

"_Pfft_, I wouldn't believe _too _much in what she sais. Don't you know that she once was DomDaniel's apprentice?"

"Infact, I belive that she's helping him inside the jail. If you understand what I mean..."

"It's just a little girl, Brian!"

"Well...". Simon snorted, and stopped listen to the conversation. He knew exactley what to do...

* * *

The whole group of wizards, all the thirteen, stood at their guard around the jail when Marcia, followed by Odale, Cashmére, Silas and Sarah, walked towards the jail. Odale followed because she wanted to make sure that Marcia (as _Odale _said, don't blame me!) did everything right this time. Cashmére refused to leave her daughter alone with 'that woman', as Cashmére called Marcia, and to both Marcia's and Odale's big frustration, also Cashmére followed. Silas and Sarah wanted to see their oldest son, and this time he couldn't run away as all the other times. And Sarah refused to believe what Simon had done, though Silas was a little more convinced.

"Here it is, madam Marcia." Jannit said, "We left him in here. Though he probably has awakend a little now. He got hitted in the head badly when he attacked the dragon.".

"Oh dear," Sarah said anxiousley, "I really wish that he didn't do so stupid things.".

"I think we all wishes that." Marcia answerd sternly, "But now he has gone a little too far from the stupidity stage."

"A _little?_ Now he's more at the evil-planning-stage." Odale folded in.

"Oh, Silas!" Sarah wailed, "_What _shall we do?".

"I am sure, mrs. Heap, that it's not your fault." Cashmére said, "He's an adult. And _where I am from_, the one who is _taking care of the country_ is the one who has _all the resbonsibilty_ for how some persons are acting.".

"Listen on now, _mother-_" Odale begun, but Marcia laid and hand at her shoulder.

"_Odale_." Marcia said, and Odale sighed.

"It's enough, now." Marcia continude, "Jannit, can you please open the door?". Jannit nodded, and opend the door.

"Simon!" Sarah yelled, and before anyone could stop her she ran inot the jail. But her son wasn't there. "Simon... _Simon?_".

"Did you know that?" Odale asked Jannit, when all of the stared at the hatch in the floor.

"No." Jannit, who didn't like how Odale talked to her, answerd. Sarah clutched onto Silas.

"What- _what is _that?" Sarah yelped.

"Nothing!" Marcia and Odale said with one mouth.

"At least nothing you needs to worry about." Marcia added, "And where's Alther?". Alther soared to Marcia.

"Yes?"

"I want all the hatches guarded until all the hatches are **_sealed_**_._" Marcia said.

"But the only ancient who aren't totally up in the blue are guarding the hatch to the Wizard Towe; and we can't leave that hatch un-guarded." Alther replied.

"But _I _can guard the hatch." Odale said.

"No, Odale, you _can't_. I can't let you do that, it's too dangerous." Marcia answerd.

"But I've already been down there once, and I have memorized-"

"You have done _what?_" Marcia gasped.

"Long ago." Odale muttered, "But I remember the map-".

"I don't care if you so has lived in the tunnels your entire life, you _won't _go down there." Marcia said, "And that's it.". Odale muttered something, and left. Cashmére tried to follow, but Marcia stopped her.

"No, Cashmére, let her go." Marcia told Cashmére.

"A dagerous man who wants to hurt _my dughter_ is walking around, and you are letting her go _alone?_ You're more insane than I thought at first!" Cashmére exclaimed.

"Cashmére, I can asure you that Odale can defend herself-"

"And you can't let her guard a tunnel? Marcia, that doesn't makes sense!" Cashmére snapped.

"Let me finish! I can't let Odale guard the tunnles because she would probably search for Simon on her own, and I don't want her to do that. If _Simon _would attack Odale, I am sure that Odale could defend herself." Marcia said. Cashmére pursed her lips, she was speechless. Which didn't happend often. Marcia was close to smile to herself, but she understood that it was the wrong time to do that.

* * *

Odale had went to meet Jenna, who was next to the Dragon Boat and whispered calming words in the Dragon Boats ear.

"Hi, Jenna." Odale said, and Jenna jumped about four feet in the air.

"Gosh, Odale, you scared me to death!" Jenna exclaimed. Odale snickered.

"You seems to be a bit nervy, Jenna."

"Well, it's-"

"Everything that has happend, yeah. Guess it has to be a bit frightening."

"Guess? You were there." Jenna replied.

"Maybe, but I'm used to stuff like that. Or, I _were _used to stuff like that." Odale said. Jenna shuddered as she remembered who she talked to.

"You're right." she answerd. They went silent.

"How's your mother?" Jenna asked after a while. Odale snorted and kicked a pebble.

"I hate her." Odale said. Jenna nodded slowly, though she didn't really understand.

"It's just how she's treating- ugh, never mind." Odale continude. Once again they went silent, as they stared out over the boat yard. It was a quite unusual day at the boat yard. Not enough with that repaired a half dragon, half dragon; also the _ExtraOrdinary Wizard_ herself visited. It wasn't often that happend, not at all. Jenna watched as Jannit helped a boat to moore. To Jenna's horror she saw that darke stranger from the Port, and she gasped.

"O-Odale..." Jenna stammered.

"What?" Odale, who hadn't seen what- or who- Jenna was looking at.

"The man from the Port- he's here!" Jenna whispered.

"It's okay Jenna, both me and Marcia are here. Just go straight to Marcia and tell her everything." Odale replied, and looked for the man. Then she saw him; he was at the boat, and just about to jump of. His hair was held in place by a sliver-circlet **(?)**, and his red tunic was soiled from the journey to Jannit's boat yard.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I've heard that the princess is somewhere here. Is that true?" the man asked.

"And who are you?" Jannit answerd sucpiciously. Odale noticed that the stranger answerd very avoiding.

"Just someone who searches for the princess." the stranger said, who suddenly noticed the resurrection around the jail. But Odale had stopped to listen.

"Jenna!" Odale hissed, "Go and hide somewhere, okay? I'm going to talk to Marcia about this.". Jenna, who had begun to understand that if Odale commanded her to do something it would often be better if she listened, nodded and dissapeard before anyone could stop her. Odale hurried away to Marcia, but if she would have stayed she would've heard the rest of the converation;

"Is that possibly the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, ma'am?" the stranger asked Jannit, who was busy with a knot.

"It's possible." Jannit answerd shortly.

"Excuse me, but I got to talk to him." the stranger said, and headed against Marcia.

"Her." Jannit corrected, though the stranger didn't hear her. A few yards away, Odale grabbed Marcia's arm.

"Marcia!" she hissed, "There's someone who want to know where Jenna is, and I-"

"What?" Marcia exclaimed.

"A darke stranger, he's-"

"I got to talk to the ExtraOrdinary Wizard!" someone shouted, and Odale noticed that it was the stranger. Odale cursed silently, and Marcia turned around. The stranger looked confused. He stopped, and searched for something in his pocket.

"Alther? Is it _you?_" the stranger asked, but Marcia didn't answer. She was pale, and Odale understood that she probably knew the stranger somehow. But _how?_

"Milo..." Cashmére, who hadn't talked a lot when Odale had talked to Marcia, asked.

"Cashmére?" the man, called Milo, answerd, "Ah, here they are!". The man picked out a pair of glasses putted them on. Then he stared shocked at Marcia.

"Marcia Overstrand?" Milo said, "ExtraOrdinary Wizard? Who knew!". Cashmére snorted.

"Yeah, who knew." she said.

"And Cashmére Tanner! Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in the Far Countries?" Milo continude and looked at Cashmére.

"Cashmére _Overstrand_." Cashmére corrected, "No, unfortunatley I'm not in the Far Countries with... never mind."

"And who's this..." Milo turned to Odale, "Wait, I remember you from somwhere... Ah, the Port!". Cashmére answerd that question.

"This is Odale, _my _daughter." Cashmére said proudly and glanced at Marcia. Milo blinked.

"_Your _daughter?" he asked, "Wait a little... Aha! Your and Joseph's daughter, right?"

"Yes." Cashmére replied.

"And about Joseph; where's he?" Milo asked. Cashmére and Marcia glanced at eachothers.

"Well..." Marcia begun, but Cashmére cut her of.

"Joseph is... well, he's dead." Cashmére said, as Marcia crossed her arms. She was pretty tired of that Cashmére always cut her of. Milo widened his eyes.

"No! How..? When?" Milo didn't seem to want to know that Joseph was dead. Marcia glanced at Cashmére.

"I'm afraid that only Cashmére can answer _that _question." Marcia replied, and Cashmére blushed easily. She gazed at Odale.

"Well." Cashmére sighed, "Maybe we could take it... ah, somewhere else.".

"Why, because you don't want to tell _me?_" Odale snapped.

"No... Or, yes. Honey, listen to me-" Cashmére begun, but Odale cut her of.

"I am _so tired _of you!" Odale shouted, "At first you to me and offends Marcia, who took care of me when nobody else did! And the you insists- no, _demands_- that you shall followe me _everywhere!_ You know what?! I wish _you_ were _dead!_". The whole boat yard seemed to went quiet.

"Odale..." Marcia said slowly, "That was-"

"Unrespectfull! You have _no idéa _of what I've been through!" Cashmére howled.

"No, _you _have no idéa of what _I've _been through! And _all _that was, and _is __your _fault!" Odale yelled.

"You little-" Cashmére begun.

"Stop it!" Marcia shouted, "Stop it _at once! _Can't you see what you're doing? You are tearing eachother apart!"

"Everything isn't about you, Marcia Overstrand!" Cashmére snapped, "Just because you're ExtraOrdinary Wizard doesn't mean that you can strut around and command everyone to do what _you _want them to do!". And with that Cashmére ran away.

"Great! Hope I'll never see you again!" Odale yelled.

"Odale, no..." Marcia sighed, "She's your mother."

"And I don't care." Odale replied coldly.

"Is this something that happends often?" Milo asked.

"Well, no. Odale got a bad day, I think." Marcia replied feeble, "But we all do. Oh, we thought you were _dead!_". Marcia hugged the stranger. Odale blinked shocked. Marcia did rarely ever hug anyone. Another who was shocked over that was Jenna, who hided in the shadows and watched horrified. She ran away, and was of to find Septimus.

"Eh, Marcia... That's the darke stranger..." Odale said. Marcia laughed.

"No, no! This is Milo Banda, Jenna's father." she replied.

"Jenna's _what?_" Odale exclaimed, and gazed at Milo. Sure he had some features that also Jenna had.

"But... Oh no! I got to tell Jenna!" Odale continude, and also she ran away. Milo and Marcia glanced after her, but none of them tried to stop her.

"She's a little bit... hm, special, aren't she?" Milo asked. Marcia smiled a little.

"Well, yes. Odale is very nice, but sometimes she is a little strange." Marcia answerd, and sighed. "But I couldn't have expected anything else.".


	39. Cha 39: A Father

Chapter 39: A Father

* * *

Odale had no idéa what she just had done. She just had runned for Jenna, as she crashed into something. Or maybe not _into_, more like through something.

"Ouch." a voice said from nowhere, "You better watch where you goes, young lady."

"I'm so sorry, sir." Odale replied, though she didn't knew to who.

"S'okay." the voice answerd, and a man appeard. Slowly, it begun with his feet and revealed that he wore an ancle-long, fiery-red tunic. Around his waist there was a leather belt with a silver buckle. At last the whole man had appeard, and Odale gasped. As far as she could see, it was her father. He had that darke brown, curly hair and (though it was barely visible) emerald-green eyes. Odale couldn't see how he had died though, which both annoyed and calme her. But mostly annoyed her. _Why _refused _everyone _to tell her how her father had died?

"Marcia?" her father asked, and eyed her.

"N-no..." Odale stammered, "I-I'm Odale. Odale Overstrand.". The man widened his eyes.

"Odale?" Joseph Overstrand asked, and eyed her. "_My _daughter Odale?". Odale couldn't answer the question. Instead she pulled up her sleeve, and revealed her arm and bracelet. The blue stone at it glimmered in the sunshine.

"You're _alive?_ I thought you were... Oh, nevermind. You're _alive!_" Joseph exclaimed, and was just about to give her a hug when he realized that he was a ghost himself.

"I'd love to hug you sweet heart, but well... As you see that wouldn't work very well." he said.

"I'd want to hug you too, father." Odale replied.

"Oh, don't call me father! That sounds so formally, don't you think so? Just call me dad." Joseph smiled.

"Okay then, _dad_." Odale answerd, though it felt a little uncomfortable to call someone that.

"That's my girl." Joseph said, and snickered. Odale smiled too.

"So, where's your mother? I'd love to meet her." Joseph continude. Odale scratched her hair.

"Well, it's... ehm, I don't really know where she is. First time I met her was, well, today." Odale answerd, a little shily. Joseph widend his eyes again.

"Don't say... you didn't grew up in that horrable place, the Young Army, did you?" he asked her nerveousley.

"No, not really... But I didn't grew up with mother, I grew up... somewhere else. And now I live with Marcia." Odale replied. Joseph smiled with relief.

"And Marcia, what are she doing? Working as, an such?" Joseph asked. Odale smirked.

"Oh, well. She's just the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, you know." she said. Joseph blinked shocked.

"She _is?_ Wow, I knew that she would be something big... but ExtraOrdinary Wizard, well. Sure, she was apprentice and such, but... wow." Joseph replied.

"And I'm her apprentice." Odale said, a little proudly.

"No way! You _are?_" Joseph exclaimed, "My daguhter is the ExtraOrdinary Wizard's apprentice! Ha!". Odale snickered.

"Dad..." she said, "Oh! You _got _to meet Marcia!"

"I don't know, sweet heart..." Joseph replied.

"You _got to_! She'll be _so _happy!" Odale said, "Please, dad!"

"Hm, okay then." Joseph answerd. Odale smiled.

"Have you've ever been at Jannit Maartin's boat yard?" she asked. Joseph thought for a while.

"I think so..." he muttered.

"Great!" Odale said, "This way, I'd suppose..."

* * *

After not to long, they (surprisingly) got to the boat yard, without Joseph getting **returned**, which was a relief to both Odale and Joseph. Odale looked around, and to her big relief she saw Marcia. Her father looked a little mot hesitating.

"Are you really sure of this, Odale?" he asked, "She maybe don't even want to see me..."

"Of course she'll want to see you, dad!" Odale answerd, "Marcia!". Marcia turned around, and for the first time in twelve years Joseph saw his siter. Marcia was older, but she was still (in Joseph's opinion) one of the most beutiful humans who ever had lived. Though Marcia didn't see him.

"What is it, Odale?" Marcia asked, "Say that it's not _another _problem."

"No, Marcia. When I was of to search for Jenna, I found-" Odale's voice cracked.

"Odale, are you alright?" Marcia said concerned.

"Yes, yes. I just..." but Marcia didn't hear the last thing. She just stared shocked at the one who was beside Odale.

"Jo-Joseph..? Is it you?" she stammered.

"Yes, Marcia." Joseph replied.

"You're _here?_ Oh... oh..." Marcia's reaction was somewhat simiular to Odale's reaction. "Oh, goodness...". This was clearly too much for Marcia at once. She had to settle down at a box to calm herself down. After a few moments she dared to open her mouth again.

"Odale, do your mother know about this?" she asked. Odale snorted.

"Why do _she _got to know _everything?_" Odale snapped. Marcia sighed.

"Odale-" but Marcia got interupted.

"Marcia, do _you _know where Cashmére is?" Joseph asked.

"No, I'm sorry, Joseph. She and Odale had a fight, and-"

"A _fight?_"

"For heavens sake, can everyone _just stop to interupt me?_" Marcia exclaimed.

"Sorry, Mar." Joseph said. Odale blinked shocked. Since when did Marcia let anyone have nicknames at her? Marcia smiled feeble.

"It's not your fault, Jose." Marcia replied, "I'm just tired. Kidnapnings, **placements**, traitors and broken Dragon Boats can sort of mess up a day.". Odale got even more shocked, Marcia was... different close to Joseph.

"Did you find Jenna, Odale?" Marcia asked Odale. Odale shook her head.

"I ran into dad, and then... well, I got a bit confused.". Marcia sighed.

"Very well, I guess she'll show up soon. But I'd like her to meet her father."

"Who's Jenna?" Joseph asked.

"Milo's daughter." Marcia said, and gave Joseph a look that Odale couldn't really figure out what it meant. She sighed, and guessed that she had to get used to the new Marcia.

* * *

**(A/N I know you'll wonder why Joseph (barely) did know anything. That's because he has spent a lot of time with just doing nothing, and stay at one place. So he has not wandered around and talked to other ghosts, despite maybe one or two.) **


	40. Cha 40: Forgiving

Chapter 40: Forgiving

* * *

But Odale didn't need to worry about Jenna; Septimus had already found her. Or Jenna had found Septimus, but that's sort of the same thing. Jenna had ran throught the alley-ways and such, when she suddenly bumped into Septimus.  
"Jenna!" Septimus exclaimed, "I was just going to you. Is everything alright?" Jenna was breathless, and her cheeks were red.  
"Sep." Jenna gasped, "It's the darke stranger. He's here." Septimus got pale.  
"H-here?" he asked, "Is Odale alright? We have to tell Marcia!" he said, letted the rope that bound Spit Fyre (who had followed Septimus, and Septimus had been forced to bound him) go, and grabbed Jenna's arm.  
"No!" Jenna shrieked, "We can't tell Marcia or Odale!" Septimus frowned.  
"Why?" Septimus asked her, "I know we can trust them, if we couldn't... Who should we trust, then?"  
"Marcia knows the darke stranger! She _hugged _him and she _laughed!_ And Odale didn't do anything to stop her, she didn't even tell Marcia anything!" Jenna replied.  
"What!?" Septimus gasped, Marcia nextuntil never hugged anyone, and especially she didn't laugh at the same time... Exept Odale, but that wasn't often she did that either and she didn't laugh meanwhile either. Mostly when one of them were stressed, or something.  
"She did! And I have no idéa of what to... Oh, Sep! What shall we do?" Jenna sobbed, and hugged Septimus. Septimus frowned.  
"I don't know, Jen." he said. Then Jenna got an idéa.  
"I know!" she exclaimed, "I could go back to the Palace, and then... then I could find the Queen's Room. Aunt Zelda said I would find it when 'the time is right', maybe it's now. When the darke strager is coming to get me. Could you follow me?"  
"Mhm." Septimus replied. His brain worked overtime. Could Odale've returned to her old her? And had she gotten Marcia into it, too? Or maybe Marcia had gotten _Odale_ into it? Maybe Marcia had been against Jenna all the time? No... Marcia and Odale couldn't be against Jenna, could they? And _if_ they were against Jenna, why hadn't they already killed her? Marcia was the most powerful wizard in the Castle, and Odale wasn't bad in **magyk**, either.  
"_Will _you come with, or do I have to go alone?" Jenna asked, slightly irritated.  
"I'll follow!" Septimus replied, and picked up Spit Fyre's rope. "You can't walk around alone with the darke stranger around, right?" Jenna sighed irritated.  
"Hurry up, then!" she snapped, and walked towards the Palace.

* * *

At the same time, Odale rushed into her _mother_. She fell backand scratched the arm on his tunic, so that a few holes appeard at her tunic's elbow. Odale cursed, scrubbed her aching elbow.  
"Odale!" her mother exclaimed, and helped her up. "What are you doing here? _Alone?_ I can't understand that Marcia-"  
"Hush!" Odale snapped, "I'm busy." She tried to run away, but her mother stopped her.  
"Wait a little, Odale!" Cashmére begged, and caught Odale's arm. "Where are you going? I'd like to change a word with you."  
"I have to find Jenna." Odale said, "She ran away..."  
"Oh, I'm sure she can wait!" Cashmére replied.  
"I don't know, mother..." Odale answerd.  
"Of course she can." Cashmére said in a friendly tune. "And this will only take a second..."  
"Okay." Odale said, eager to get away to find Jenna.  
"I'm sorry for our... little fight." Cashmére begun, "I really am. And I wish that we had gotten a better start."  
"Me too, but..." Odale mumbled.  
"What, sweetheart?" Cashmére asked.  
"It's just the thing that you left me in the snow. And when you found out that I was alive, you still waited for me to come to _you_. How could I know that _you're _alive?" Odale answerd.  
"And I'm sorry for that, too. It's... well, maybe you've noticed that Marcia and I don't got a _valde bona _relation?" Cashmére replied.  
"Valde bona?" Odale asked.  
"Latin." Cashmére excused herself, "Sometimes I can't find the word, and then I use latin. You can hear my dialect, right? It's latin." Odale nodded slowly.  
"Okay." she said, "But I don't understand... Marcia can't latin, and you're from the same country. Right?" Cashmére laughed.  
"No, she don't. My... I meant they switched the lanugage, and that was a few years after that your father's parents- and Marcia, Joseph and their brother's- moved from the Eastern Snow Plains." Cashmére said.  
"Your what?" Odale asked curiousley.  
"Nothing, sweetheart." Cashmére replied.  
"And mother, there's a thing I have to tell you." Odale said.  
"What?" Cashmére asked feeble.  
"I met dad earlier." Odale answerd.  
"You did _what!?_" Cashmére exclaimed, "Is he _alive!?_ And he hasn't told _me!_ That little-"  
"No, mother. He's dead." Odale said, a little to plain she noticed herself. Cashmére sighed.  
"Too bad, yes." she muttered.  
"Now he's a ghost." Odale replied.  
"Of course he is, honey." Cashmére answerd in a friendly tune. "Of course, of course..."  
"By the way, Odale, look here." Cashmére picked out something from one of her pockets. I found this, just laying at the ground. I guess it's pretty valuable, and it's a **charm**. I thought... well, I thought that you maybe'd like it." Odale glanced at the thing that Cashmére held in her hand. She gasped.  
"Goodness!" Odale exclaimed, "_Where on earth _did you find _that!?_" Cashmére looked shocked.  
"Is it _that _valuable?" she asked.  
"You have no idéa! It's the **flyte charm**!" Odale replied, "And you gives it to _me?_" Cashmére smiled.  
"Absolutley." she said, "Who else should own such a thing?" Cashmére handed Odale the golden arrow, and for the first time Odale felt the **flyte charm's** **magyk**. It ran as an jolt through her, and at once she knew who it _really _should belong to.  
"Thank you mother!" Odale said, "Thanks a lot!" Cashmére smiled, and gave Odale a hug. This time Odale didn't refuse, though she didn't answer the hug.  
"Remember I love you, Odale." her mother whispered in her ear, "And I'll always do, and I've always done." Odale nodded.  
"I got to go now." she said, and her mother smiled towards her again.  
"Of course, darling. See you soon." Cashmére replied.  
"And, ah, by the way I think that dad is at the boat yard. You know, if you'd want to say 'hello' to him. Or, you know, something." Odale said.  
"I'm absolutley going to say 'hello' to your dad, Odale." Cashmére said, Odale waved towards her mother and ran away (again).

* * *

**(A/N much running into others, and forgiving. Maybe mostly because I wish I could do like that, you know. Run into someone, forgive them, and then run away again. Whoops, got to personal, deep and philosophic. However, hope that ya' liked it!**


	41. Cha 41: The Flyte Charm

**(A/N Anyone alive..? Here's the 41th chapter! Yaaay!)**

* * *

Cha 41: The **Flyte Charm**

* * *

Odale swore loudly to herself, she had spent the last halfhour to search for Jenna. She had searched through all the alleyways, all the mainstreets and... _of course!_ How dumb she was! She cursed herself loudly, and then she went of to the Palace. Of course Jenna'd be there, where else? At the way to the Palace Odale fingered at the **flyte charm**. The **charm **puzzled her to much for that she would like it rather much, though she was delighted by it's old- no, _a__ncient_- grace. But it maded her thoughts fly away in an unpleasant way and Odale liked to have her thoughs in one place. Where had her mother got it from? Odale stopped and picked out the **charm**, and watched it. She noticed that it felt like the **charm **wasn't whole, something was missing. At once she thought of the little **charm **that Marcia had given to Septimus. But why...? Odale got an idéa, and suddenly she knew what she had to do after she had found Jenna.

Odale reached the Wizard Way, and sighed irritated. It had taken more time than usual. She headed towards the Palace, but a smothered noise from one of the alleyways caught her attention. A robber had picked out a victim and was about to steal every valuable thing the poor man had in his pockets. Usually, Odale would just leave and say that it wasn't her buisniss, but for the moment she was tired of people who only wanted to make life bad for everyone else.  
"Hey!" she shouted, "I can have you arrested for that!" The robber looked up and snorted.  
"Not your buisniss!" he or she (Odale couldn't see which) hissed.  
"Go away _now!_ I'm not in mood for this." Odale commanded  
"No!" the robber snapped. Odale pursed her lips.  
"As you'd like." she replied and begun to prepare a **thunder flash**.  
"Okay, I'm leaving." the robber muttered, and walked away. The victim wailed.  
"Please don't hurt me!" he begged. Odale helped him up.  
"No, I won't." Odale said, "Did... eh, he take something?"  
"Who?" the man asked confused.  
"The robber." Odale answerd, easilt irritated.  
"No, I don't think so." the man replied, "Not because I got so much to steal."  
"Okay." Odale shrugged, "Have a nice day."  
"Wait, miss!" the man said, "Are there something I can help you with?"  
"No, there isn't." Odale replied.  
"If you're looking for that apprentice boy..."  
"What?" Odale asked.  
"He went to the Palace with the Princess." the man said, and Odale sighed with relied.  
"Thank goodness for that." she muttered, and ran away.

Finally Odale was outside the gate into the Palace. She nodded towards Gudrun the Great, and walked towards the main entrance. Odale was just about to open the door to the hall, but then she looked towards the Eastern Part of the Palace.  
"Spit Fyre!" she gasped, and the dragon infact looked up. Spit Fyre yelped.  
"Hush!" Odale said, "Where's Septimus?" That was quite a stupid question, but Spit Fyre infact turned to the spiral staircase.  
"See you later." Odale said, and clapped Spit Fyre's head. Then she rushed up the stair case and into the Palace. She came just in time to see Jenna dissapear into the wall.  
"Septimus!" she exclaimed, and Septimus jumped.  
"Odale!" he turned around,, "Don't scare me like that!"  
"But Jenna... Jenna _dissapeard into the wall_." Odale said. Septimus shurgged.  
"It's appereantly the Queen's Room." he replied.  
"The Queen's Room?!" Odale gasped.  
"Mmh..." Septimus nodded, "Have you heard about it?"  
"Of course I have! But I've always heard that it never has existed." Odale answerd.  
"Appereantly it does exist." Septimus said.  
"Appereantly." Odale sighed, "So... when do you think she'll come back?"  
"I don't know. Soon." Septimus answerd.  
"But if she don't..."  
"She will." Septimus said. Odale sighed again.  
"However, there's something-"  
"What?" Septimus asked.  
"I rushed into my mother earlier, and she gave this to me." Odale picked out the **flyte charm**, and showed Septimus it. Septimus blinked shocked.  
"Your _mother_ had it?" he said. Odale nodded.  
"And I want to try something, but I need your help." she replied.  
"What do you want me to do?" Septimus answerd.  
"You remember the **charm** Marcia gave you?" Odale asked, "The silver wings?"  
"Of course I do." Septimus said.  
"Could I borrow it for a few seconds?" Odale replied. Septimus frowned.  
"Sure." he said and handed her his **charm**.  
"Fine." Odale scratched her hair, "Now, hold the **charms**, one **charm** in each hand." She gave Septimus the **charms**. Septimus did as Odale said, and held one of the in each hand. They were beutiful, but in two ways. In his left hand he felt the power from the ancient **flyte charm**, and in his right hand he felt the **wing charm**'s fragile ease. As he watched the **charms**, he felt the **magyk **run through him and it maked the air around him tremble. Then something very faschinating happend;  
The wings rose up, and begun to flutter around. Septimus noticed that Odale gasped shocked, this was probably wasn't something that she had predicted. Spellbound they watched as the wings land at the **flyte charm**. The room lit up by a **magykal **light when the two **charms** melted together, and the silver wings withdrew it's rightful place as the **flyte charm**'s original wings. Septimus picked up the charm. It was still a little warm from the change, and tried to give it to Odale.  
"Take it." he said.  
"No, Sep. It's your **charm**, I don't even want it." Odale replied.  
"Why?" Septimus asked.  
"Because!" Odale answerd, "And you've always wanted to fly. Now you can, so don't throw it away for nothing."  
"Okay." Septimus muttered, and pulled the **charm **into one of his pockets.  
"Ods!" Jenna exclaimed, and stepped out of the 'wall', followed by aunt Zelda and the Wolf Boy.  
"Odale and Septimus! So nice to meet you." aunt Zelda said to the very shocked apprentice's. "But we don't have much time, we got to get to the Dragon Boat."

* * *

**(A/N _What _will happend to the Dragon Boat? *Gasp*)**


	42. Chapter 42

**(A/N Review answering time! YAAY!  
Drimali;  
No, Odale don't likes DomDaniel. She maybe _did_, but more like a... you know a chief or teacher. And DomDaniel probably thought she was a good apprentice, mostly because she _always _did as he said. Or, until she got 'nice'. Then everything turned around. And not in a positive way, for DomDaniel.)**

* * *

Chapter 42: The **Transubstantiate Triple**

* * *

"Heave-ho..! Heave-ho..! Heave-ho..!" Jannit Maartens voice echoed through the boat yard. Aunt Zelda cried out in horror when she saw the Dragon Boats massacred hull. She rushed to the Dragon Boat, and shocked Nicko Heap (who sat beside and stroke the Dragon Boat's head).  
"Aunt Zelda?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.  
"Yes, it's me, dear child." aunt Zelda answerd feeble, and stroke the lifeless dragon's head. Then she shook her head. "Jenna, Septimus... Hurry up, we got to do it?"  
"Do what?" Jenna asked.  
"The **Transubstantiate Triple**." aunt Zelda said, and searched through her many pockets at her patchwork dress.  
"Septimus knows that one!" Jenna said eagerly.  
"No, I can't." Septimus replied.  
"Yes you do, almost at least. I've heard you say that to Godric." Jenna said.  
"That was only because when he asked me the first time, I said no, and then he begun to cry. Then all the other ancients also begun to cry, it was horrable." Septimus answerd.  
"And then he fetched me, and I told him to say what the old loony wanted to hear." Odale folded in, "But he begun to read about it, in case that Godric would ask him questions. It's about the four elements, isn't it?"  
"Sure it is, Odale." aunt Zelda said, and picked out an oldfashioned leather bag. "This one has been given from keeper and keeper since... well, far longer than anyone can remember. We keeps it in a **locked **shrine that is called the last way out. Every keeper hopes that she won't have to use it, but everyone also knows that it the time will come. There's a prophesy at the shrine, about that she will fly with two of three... No one ever really knew what it meant, but when Septimus got the Dragon Ring I knew that it very soon would happend. And when Jenna came out of the Decoct Room, I knew that it was time. And know we're here." Aunt Zelda turned the bag up-side-down, and three golden bowl's with blue edges fell out. She continude to shook the bag, but it seemed to be empty. Aunt Zelda frowned, and felt in the bag. But the bag was empty. She looked dismayed.  
"But it has to be more!" she exclaimed, "No instructions- nothing! It was that miserable woman Betty Crackle! She was so reckless. What can we do with three empty bowls?"  
"I think I know..." Septimus said slowly.  
"You _do?_" Odale wondered, and looked at him with renewed respect.  
"Mmh." Septimus nodded, "You puts the bowl infron of the creature that you wants to **heal**..." he said while he thought intensively. Septimus had read everything he could find about the **Transubstantiate Triple**, but when he had asked Marcia about where the **triplebowls **were she had said that they dissapeard hundreds of years ago.  
"I'm leaving now, I don't belong here right now." Odale said, and walked away and settled down on a up-side-down boat. Septimus, Jenna and aunt Zelda placed the bowls in an semicircle infront of the Dragon Boat.  
"The elements in this **spell** is earth, air, fyre and water." Septimus said wit an low voice, "But we only choose one to heal the Dragon Boat. I think it should be fyre."  
Aunt Zelda nodded.  
"She has too much of the other things." she mumbled.  
"Jen?" Septimus said.  
"Yes." Jenna whispered, "Fyre."  
"Good." Septimus replied, "No everyone of us has to pick one of the three remaining elements."  
"Earth." aunt Zelda said, "Fair old earth to plant cabbage in."  
"Water." Jenna said, "Because she's so beutiful at the water."  
"And I choose air." Septimus said, "Because I flew a dragon today. And I can flew by myself."  
Aunt Zelda gazed wondering at Septimus, but he was so busy with the bowl so he didn't notice.  
"Now," he continude "Do we take our bowl and fills them with our element." Jenna dipped her bowl in the Moat, aunt Zelda scratched up some dirt and Septimus just looked at his bowl and wondered what he could do. While he wondered, a purple haze begun to appear at the bottom of the bowl. Odale couldn't help, but gasp. Around his bright, curly hair a purple contour appeard, and Odale could feel the **magykal **loading around him. Not knowing that Odale watched him, Septimus turned all the bowls quickly up-side-down. The dirt and the water fell down at the carpet at once, but the purple haze flowed down slowly to the carpet- until it hitted the water and the dirt at the carpet, and begun to burn. Septimus swallowed quickly; that was exactley what he was afraid for. Anyways, he stretched out his and and grabbed the flames. But the flames didn't cause Septimus any pain, and he placed it in front of the Dragon Boat's nose. The Dragon Boat breathed in (and she breathed in very loudly), and the flames flew into the dragon's nose. After a few seconds she rose her head, spitted out a fyre-ball that lit the carpet. Odale snapped with her fingers, and the fyre died out. The Dragon Boat opend her eyes, but then the magnificent head fell back down at the carpet and she was lifeless. Again. The whole boat yard went silent. Even Jannit stopped what she was doing, and stared at the boat. Jenna looked perplexed, she looked at Septimus for comfort, but even he just stared unhappily at the Dragon Boat. Aunt Zelda cought and was just about to say something when Marcia's voice resounded all over the boat yard;  
"Could someone please remove this infernal bucket from my foot?" A worker helped Marcia to get the bucket of Marcia's foot that Marcia had stepped in when she had rushed to the Dragon Boat. When she got closer, Jenna, Septimus and aunt Zelda saw that she held a big, green bottle in her hand. Marcia stopped breathless beside them and took of the cork at the bottle.  
"Marcia." Odale asked, she had at once understood that it wouldn't end so well. "What are you doing?"  
"Saving the Dragon Boat. I knew I had it somewhere. It's an ancient, lizard-based revival. I had it under one of the floorboards in the Librarey." Marcia answerd.  
"Take it away." aunt Zelda commanded, "Don't go close to her with _that_. It will kill her."  
"Don't be silly Zelda." Marcia replied, "It's no longer your thing to say what to tell what to do with the Dragon Boat. I am the keeper now." Odale groaned, and Jenna and Sepimus gave eachother a look. It was going to be a fight.  
"Marcia, what are you thinking? Of course you're not the keeper! It doesn't work like that." Odale said.  
"Stay out of this, Odale!" Marcia replied, "And I _am _the keeper."  
"You..!" aunt Zelda hissed as if she couldn't believer her ears, "_You_- keeper?"  
"The Dragon Boat is here, in my care, now. You're- wait, how did you get here so _quick?_"  
"Marcia, could you _for once stop fighting and understand that your not always right?_" Odale snapped.  
"Odale!" Marcia gasped, "Don't-"  
"No, Marcia! You, of everyone, should now that the Keeper is the Keeper and the ExtraOrdinary Wizard _is _the ExtraOrdinary Wizard! Don't mix them up, and think that everything has to do with the place you are at- because it's not like that. If it was so, wouldn't DomDaniel be the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, am I right?" Odale was almost breathless after her speak. Very slowly Marcia putted back the cork at the bottle, and went with so much dignity obtain from back through the boat yard (and avoided all the buckets carefully). Her bad temper didn't get better when she noticed that Cashmére and Joseph had watched the little scene.

* * *

**(A/N an unrealistic end, maybe, but I'm satisfied.)**


	43. Cha 43: Septimus's Flyte

**(A/N The last chapter!)**

* * *

Chapter 43: Septimus's **Flyte**

* * *

Marcia walked with long strides over the Moat to the Castle. Her steps echoedat the old wooden bridge warm boards. Beside her Milo Banda was, he had appointed himself to calm down Marcia after her drabble with Odale. It didn't work very well. Outside the Palace door, beside the golden chair where Godric slept, a young sub-wizard stood. She smiled towards Marcia.  
"Goodevening, madam Marcia." she said, "Welcome to the Palace."  
"Goodevening, Hildegarde." Marcia answerd, and went straight into the Palace. Milo lagged behind and delayed uncertainly by the door-frame. Marcia saw that he shook easily, and that he had tears in his eyes.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Milo." Marcia said lowly, "I didn't think so far. Do you want to be alone for a moment?" Milo nodded, and dissaperd through the Long Passage. Marcia saw that he shook his head horrified when he saw the empty walls. Suddenly Marcia felt very tired- it had been a long day. That Odale almost had died had maded Marcia feel a little jumpy, and it felt like it was her own fault. And her foot ached after that Spit Fyre had attacked it, and at the top of it it was the same foot that she had stepped in the bucket with. With a sigh of relief she sank down at Godric's chair. The ghost took a horrified jump backwards. Marcia sighed again, but now she was a little irritated.  
"Alther, I thought that I had begged you to get away the ancients. We don't needs them now when we has the sub-wizards here." she said.  
"But Marcia, Godric got so upset when I told him to go. So I said that he could stay." Alther answerd, "And by the way you should show some more respect for the anciets. You will be one to, someday." He helped Godric up, dusted him of, and putted him in a chair where the ghost fell asleep. And he would sleep there until one day when Jenna's daughter drove into him with her scooter.

* * *

It was unfrotunatley that Jenna didn't notice Marcia and Alther when she returned to the Palace. The first one she saw when she entered the Long Passage was the 'darke stranger'. When he saw Jenna he gasped and stopped at once. Jenna shrieked, and Marcia jumped up.  
"Jenna- what is it?" she asked and looked worried around. But Jenna didn't answer. She rushed out of the Palace and to her friends. Septimus, Nicko, Odale, aunt Zelda and the Wolf Boy walked slowly over the Palace's lawn while Spit Fyre insisted with chasing Billy Pot's escaping lizards.  
"He's here!" Jenna shouted when she reached aunt Zelda, "That man- he's here!"  
"What man?" aunt Zelda asked. She was both confused and delighted over that Marcia came running toward them with only one shoe.  
"Jenna." Marcia gasped when she reached the girl, "Jenna, what's the matter?"  
"That man- the stranger from the Port. He who tried to stop me and Odale, he who has an collusion with Simon- you've invited him to _my _Palace! That's the matter!" Jenna snapped.  
"But Jenna." Marcia protested, "This man has every right to be in the Palace. It's Milo Banda. He's-"  
"I don't care who he is!" Jenna shouted.  
"But Jenna, he's your father." Marcia and Odale said with one mouth. Everyone stared shocked at Marcia and Odale.  
"He's not." Jenna got up. "Dad is at the boat yard... with mum."  
"Yes, Silas and Sarah is at the boat yard." Marcia said mildly, "And Milo is here. Milo is your real father, Jenna. And he's here to meet you."  
Jenna was silent for a while. Then she suddenly said; "Why couldn't he came her earlier- when I was a little?" And then she ran away. Odale was about to run after her when Marcia stopped her.  
"I think that she has to be alone for a while." she said.  
"But I don't." Odale replied, "I know exactley how she feel, Marcia." And then also Odale ran away. Marica sighed, and followed her niece with her gaze.

* * *

Later on, Sarah had arranged a dinner to celebrate Milo's returning. The dinner didn't end before late in the evening. Sarah had clothed the table with a plain, white table cloth. Jenna got remembered by her tenth birthday, which felt like years ago. Milo had gotten placed at the headend, and just to get so far away from Milo as possible Jenna had settled down at the other headend. Too late she understood that it was a mistake, because Milo were right in front of her all the time. Unfortunatley Odale weren't that lucky; she had gotten placed between Marcia _and _Cashmére. Both of them insisted in talking to Odale, but neither of them wanted to talk with eachother. Odale had stopped to get _so _annoyed with her mother, now she got bothered by that Marcia and Cashmére refused to talk to eachother. She knew that she would get problems if they keept going that way.  
"Marcia has told me that you're a witch." Odale said to her mother. Of course she knew that Cashmére was a witch, but she could always start a conversation. Cashmére sighed.  
"Yes, I am." she replied, "Did Marcia really say that?" Odale felt tempted to **read** Marcia's and Cashmére's thoughts, though she choosed not to do that.  
"She did." Odale said.  
"I _mentioned _it." Marcia added. Odale almost snickered, Marcia really acted weird.  
"_I _could mention a few things too, Marcia." Cashmére snapped. _"Uh-oh."_ Odale thought.  
"But no one has said how you met dad, mother." Odale interupted the probably very awkward comming situation.  
"Oh, it's a long story." Cashmére answerd avoiding.  
"I got time." Odale said. Cashmére laughed.  
"You have." she replied. Even Marcia smiled a little at that.  
"By the way, Odale." Cashmére continude, "Your father and I... we've decided to move into an apartment in the Ramblings. I- and your father, of course- would enjoy it very much if you came with us too." Marcia froze.  
"No." Odale said, "I'm sorry, but no, I can't." Cashmére gazed at Marcia.  
"Excuse me, but why?" Cashmére asked.  
"I'm Marcia's apprentice, I lives where she does." Odale replied.  
"But _Marcia _herself didn't live with _her _tutor." Cashmére protested.  
"No, but it is an tradition that younger apprentice's lives with their tutors. The older a free to live whereever they'd like." Odale said. Cashmére snorted, but to Odale's shook she didn't argue it further.  
"But Odale can come and come and visit sometimes." Marcia said, "They do have free days." Odale gave Marcia a death-glare.  
"I use them to do my homeworks!" she complained.  
"Nonsense, you always use to do them anyways." Marcia replied.  
"Right." Odale sighed.

* * *

Marcia, Septimus, Odale and Spit Fyre walked slowly at the Wizard Way. Odale was to thoughtfull to notice really anything, and she just stared at the ground. But finally they reached the Wizard Tower. Septimus went to lock Spit Fyre into the Dragon Yard. He locked the door to the Dragon House.  
"Make sure that he can't get out, Septimus." Marcia said, "And lock with double studs."  
"I will." Septimus replied. Marcia smiled gratefully towards him and limped into the Wizard Tower, followed by Odale. Odale waved shortly towards Septimus as a goodnight. It was easy to make Spit Fyre fall asleep and Septimus sneaked away. It was a beutiful night. Even though the mild, purple light that the torches at the Wizard Tower's wall radiated, Septimus could see the stars. He didn't want to go inside just yet. Septimus looked up and looked at the stars- his old dreams about flying returned to him, and he knew that he couldn't stand it anymore. Then he picked out the **flyte charm**. The arrow-shaped **charm** with silver-vings vibrated in his hands. At the same point as the wings begun to flutter, Septimus noticed that he lifted from the ground. He reached the top of the Great Arch, then he wondered if he maybe should knock at Odale's window and see how she reacted. Septimus snickered as he thought about how she would react, and flew up to the twentieth floor. But when he was just about to knock at Odale's window, something far away caught his eyes. A darke figure rode quickly away from the Castle at the other side of the mighty Castle wall. _Simon_. Septimus pointed the **flyte charm** at the darke shape and then he felt how he soared away towards his brother. With one last twitch from the **flyte charm**, Septimus flew beside his brother. The brother didn't notice, and so Septimus keept flying for a while. At last Simon noticed that something was wrong.  
"You!" he shouted and stopped the horse in a cloud of dust. Septimus landed softly infront of the horse. "You got my **flyte charm**!" Simon snapped and pointed at the **charm **in Septimus's hand.  
"Yes, I got the **flyte charm**." Septimus admitted, and gracefully he soared above the brother again as Simon tried to take the **flyte charm**. "But it's not your, not mine either. It's an ancient charm, and it doesn't belong to anyone. _You _should know that."  
"Magniloquent nonsense." Simon mumbled.  
"_What _did you say?" Septimus asked, even though he very well had heard what Simon said.  
"Nothing!" Simon snapped, "Just get out of the way, brat, and don't get the idéa to **transfix **my horse this time. It won't work."  
"I won't **transfix **our horse either, Simon. I just came here to tell you to never come back, and to never hurt Jenna again. And _if _you does, you'll get to deal with me." Septimus replied. Simon stared at his younger brother, and Septimus stared back. His green eyes shot furious flashes at Simon. Simon noticed that he barely dared to say something, because there was something with Septimus; the **magykal **powers of the seventh son to a seventh son.  
"Understood?" Septimus snapped.  
"Yes." Simon muttered.  
"Away with you now." Simon said coldly, and flew down at the ground so that Simon could ride away. Simon looked down at the defenseless boy. It would be so easy just to get rid with him now... No one would find the boy, and no one would suspect it. Exept for that Overstrand-girl... _"She could just run into a wall!"_ Simon thought, but shook the thoughts of him. He gallopated away, but he did shout one last thing;  
"I whis that you had been dead when the nurse took you away!"  
Smiling Septimus flew back to the Wizard Tower. His last brother had finally accepted him.


End file.
